Tusk's 'right hand' Maciej Berek steps down as oversight minister, Knapińska takes over

Berek's departure announced

On Tuesday, 11 August, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced before a cabinet meeting that Maciej Berek, minister for oversight of government policy implementation, had asked to be relieved of his duties. Tusk said the two had agreed Berek would move to other tasks, with details of his new role to be revealed later. Tusk described Berek as his "right hand" and said their cooperation, which began in 1997 at the Senate Chancellery, would continue. He thanked Berek particularly for his contribution to the deregulation of regulations.

We agreed together with minister Maciej Berek that he will move to other tasks. In connection with this, he asked me to release him from the duties he has performed so far.

Knapińska takes over

Joanna Knapińska, currently president of the Government Legislation Centre (RCL) and secretary of the Council of Ministers since 13 December 2023, will assume Berek's responsibilities. Knapińska is a doctor of law and legal counsel who has been associated with the RCL since 2005, rising from legislator to leadership positions. She was appointed secretary of the Council of Ministers in December 2023 and president of the RCL on 19 January 2024. She previously served as vice-president of the Public Procurement Office from November 2019 and worked on the new Public Procurement Law. Tusk commented that "there is no irreplaceable person, contrary to what is said publicly."

Berek's career path

Berek, a legal counsel and doctor of legal sciences from Gdańsk, has been one of Tusk's closest collaborators for nearly three decades. He served as president of the Government Legislation Centre from 2007 to 2015 and as secretary of the Council of Ministers from 2008 to 2015. In 2015, he was nominated as Poland's representative to the European Court of Auditors, but the incoming government annulled the competition and recommended Janusz Wojciechowski instead. During the PiS government, Berek worked at the Office of the Ombudsman under Marcin Wiącek, serving as director general from 2021. After the 2023 elections, he became minister without portfolio and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers, taking on the newly created oversight minister role on 24 July 2025.

Hidden change in social benefits report

According to OKO.press, the announcement coincided with a controversy over the government's Q2 priority implementation report, which Tusk presented during the cabinet meeting. OKO.press reported that the report concealed a change removing the annual valorization of income thresholds entitling citizens to social benefits. The change was reportedly ordered by Berek himself, despite opposition from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. The ministry confirmed that the Oversight Committee decided to modify priority P43 by removing information about the annual verification of income criteria in social assistance until the project is agreed upon, adding that the lack of threshold updates means "the poorest become even poorer."

Tusk's praise and future role

Tusk praised Berek's role in coordinating government priorities, noting that the quarterly report contained "hundreds of matters that changed Poland for the better." He recalled that in the late 1990s, the two had worked together in the Senate on systemic reforms including the direct election of mayors and city presidents. Tusk hinted that Berek would reappear in a new public role.

Maciej Berek was my right hand and still will be. You will soon find out in what role the minister will appear. I know you will serve the Fatherland more than once.