2020-08-20 20:46 update: 2020-08-24, 20:27
Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki. Photo. PAP/Wojciech Olkuśnik
PM Mateusz Morawiecki on Thursday announced that Adam Niedzielski would replace Lukasz Szumowski as the new health minister and Zbigniew Rau would replace Jacek Czaputowicz as the new foreign minister.
Szumowski announced his resignation on Thursday, explaining that he wished to return to medical work. Czaputowicz handed in his resignation on Thursday.
Morawiecki said the two new ministers would be officially appointed to their posts in the coming days.
Morawiecki stated that Niedzielski would continue Szumowski's policies regarding COVID-19 epidemic measures. He added that Niedzielski, an economist by profession and currently head of Poland's National Health Fund (NFZ), is a "much needed" person in the health ministry, in view of the health service's modernisation needs pending a prospective second wave of the epidemic.
He added that the new minister had vast experience in public administration work and one of his main tasks would be the effective allocation of health funding and medical resources.
Niedzielski holds a Ph.D. in economics. He has worked in the Finance Ministry, the Supreme Auditing Board (NIK) and the state social insurance company ZUS. He was appointed head of the National Health Fund two years ago.
Introducing Rau as the new foreign minister, Morawiecki pointed out that he was broadly experienced in foreign affairs and currently headed the Sejm's (lower house) Foreign Affairs Committee.
Rau is a lawyer and former provincial governor in Lodz province, and became an MP after the last parliamentary elections. He also served a term as a senator.
Morawiecki also thanked Szumowski and Czaputowicz for their work. (PAP)
