Canceled after a year of government
In the Sunday referendum, Zabrza residents decided to dismiss the city's president Agnieszka Rupniewska, who was supported by KO in the municipal election in 2024. Due to the low turnout, the referendum on the cancellation of the city council proved to be invalid, which means that early elections must be held. Initiators of the referendum accused Rupniewska of mass layoffs in local units, increases in local fees, resignation from cyclical cultural events and delays in privatization of Górnik Zabrze.
The recalled president in an interview with the local branch of “Gazeta Wyborcza” pointed out that she accepts and full submits to the decision of the residents. However, she noted:
However, I want that [residents – ed.] They knew that after the referendum Zabr's problems would not disappear. The problems that have been strained over 18 years by my predecessors remain. They inactive should be solved.
According to the protocol of the municipal referendum committee, the residents gave 29,2 1000 crucial votes, of which 27,2 1000 were in favour of the appeal of Agnieszka Rupniewska and 2 1000 against. Turnout was 25.9 1000 votes, exceeding the minimum threshold. 116,9 1000 people were eligible to vote.
The president explains himself.
Initiators of the referendum criticised the erstwhile president for, among another things, reducing the jobs in urban institutions, expanding local fees, giving up the organisation of cultural events and deficiency of transparency on the privatisation of Górnik Zabrze. Agnieszka Rupniewska explained that her decisions were the consequence of a hard financial situation that she inherited from erstwhile authorities.
Additionally, according to her, the consequence of the referendum was a consequence of a wave of hatred and hate. This is explained by the fact that during his erstwhile word in the city he co-organised the Law and Justice, and many of the issues that remained unresolved, were the consequence of the actions of the predecessors he had to face. She pointed to financial difficulties, stressing that she was not the 1 who caused them, but simply had to conflict with them, which she considered to be her achievement.
Agnieszka Rupniewska besides does not share the opinion that – according to her critics – she was isolated in the office. She pointed out that she was focusing on the improvement of the austerity programme.
Re-election
Following the announcement of the results, Prime Minister Donald Tusk should appoint a commissioner to take over the duties of city president until the election. An early vote must take place within a maximum of 90 days of the announcement of the results, provided that no protests are received. Residents have 7 days to study protests, and courts will have another 14 days to consider them.
Katarzyna Iwańska, 1 of the initiators of the referendum, considered its consequence to be the success of the residents, explaining it with discontent with increases in fees, investment stagnation and the mediocre financial situation of the city. She announced that the presidential candidate in the early elections would gotta sign a social contract and keep his promises. She besides noted that it would not be a organization candidate.
The press conference was organised by PiS politicians, including Michał Wójcik, who stated that Zabrze is “Poland in a Pisces”, and expressed hope that the residents would not support Rafał Trzaskowski in the upcoming presidential election, calling for a vote on Karol Nawrocki.
