Power Crisis in Częstochowa: Prosecutor's Office Suspends President Krzysztof M.

The District Prosecutor's Office decided to apply an unprecedented preventive measure against the incumbent president of Częstochowa, Krzysztof M. The local government official has been formally suspended from his official duties, which means his immediate removal from managing the city. This decision is a consequence of a wide-ranging investigation into corruption at the Częstochowa city hall. Earlier, law enforcement officers detained not only the president but also a former vice-president and the chairman of the city council, indicating a systemic nature of the alleged irregularities. Investigators accuse Krzysztof M. of accepting material benefits in exchange for the office's favor in investment projects. Despite the seriousness of the charges, the court of first instance did not grant the request for temporary arrest of the president. The judges considered that the collected evidence does not require isolating the suspect at this stage of the proceedings. The prosecutor's office has already announced it will file an appeal against this decision, arguing that leaving Krzysztof M. at large may hinder the investigation. Temporarily, the reins of the city have been taken over by the first deputy, Zdzisław Wolski, to ensure continuity of the local government administration's work. In the corridors of the city council, there is increasing talk about the need to hold a referendum on recalling the mayor, although councilors emphasize that it should be a grassroots initiative of residents. Częstochowa, as a city with county rights, is one of the key administrative centers in the Silesian Voivodeship. Suspending an incumbent president based on a prosecutor's decision is a rare procedure in Polish local government, usually preceding a lengthy court process.Simultaneously, in the neighboring Małopolska local government, significant infrastructure decisions were made. RDOŚ issued the long-awaited environmental decision for the construction of a new runway at Kraków's Balice airport. This is a key stage for the development of Kraków Airport, which has been struggling for years with technical limitations of the old runway. However, at the same time, Kraków is grappling with controversies surrounding the metro construction. Although President Aleksander Miszalski announced receiving 10 billion PLN in support from the state budget, the government side is currently distancing itself from these declarations, casting doubt on the schedule and funding of this strategic investment for the city. „Prezydent powinien honorowo zrzec się urzędu dla dobra mieszkańców.” (The president should honorably resign from office for the good of the residents.) — Councilors