Law and Justice (PiS) has officially endorsed an initiative to hold a referendum on the dismissal of Radom Mayor Radosław Witkowski and the City Council. The decision was unanimously adopted by the party’s Radom regional board. PiS politicians justified their stance by pointing to a series of controversies surrounding the city authorities, including disputed events linked to the anniversary celebrations of June 1976, investments raising questions about financial management, and what they describe as a lack of commitment to the development of Radom Airport. A signature collection campaign in support of the referendum petition is set to begin next week.
“The board unanimously decided to support the referendum,” said Marek Suski during a press conference on Saturday following a meeting of the party’s Radom regional leadership. He announced that PiS would begin collecting signatures next Saturday.
Suski cited several recent incidents involving the city authorities as the reason behind the decision. Among them was a PRL-themed dance party that inaugurated the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the June 1976 protests. After the event, a photograph circulated online showing Deputy Mayor Marta Michalska-Wilk posing with men dressed as officers of the communist-era Citizens’ Militia (MO) and ZOMO riot police, who were historical reenactors from a private PRL museum. The image sparked widespread criticism on social media.
As another example of what he described as actions that embarrassed the city authorities, Suski pointed to a project involving tree planting beneath an overpass where sunlight does not reach. Discussing what he called wasteful spending of public funds, he also referred to a multi-level parking structure in central Radom. The building is currently being demolished despite having undergone renovations costing nearly 600,000 złoty not long ago. Due to construction flaws, the facility was never put into use.
Asked about a potential candidate to replace Witkowski, Suski replied that it was too early to discuss names, although he remarked that “replacing Witkowski with a better candidate would not be particularly difficult.”
Meanwhile, MP Zbigniew Kuźmiuk accused the city authorities of failing to support the development of Radom Airport, which is managed by the Polish Airports State Enterprise (PPL).
“There is no interest on the part of the current Radom authorities in developing this investment and creating a fully functioning airport here. That is a major accusation against the current city leadership,” Kuźmiuk said.
“That is why we decided to support this civic referendum initiative; the residents of Radom can see what is happening and do not want their city to lose its place on Poland’s economic and social map,” MP Radosław Fogiel concluded.
On Wednesday, the launch of the signature collection campaign for the referendum petition was officially announced. The referendum committee was formed by local organizations, including Better Radom, the Association of Persons Repressed During Martial Law, and Radom June 1976.
On Friday, Poland 2050 also expressed support for the initiative, although its activists stated that they would not take part in collecting signatures.
Radosław Witkowski has served as Mayor of Radom since 2014. Prior to that, from 2007 to 2014, he was a member of parliament representing the Civic Platform.
To remove the mayor through a referendum, at least three-fifths of the number of voters who participated in the election in which he was elected must take part in the vote, and a majority of those voting must support his dismissal.