President Karol Nawrocki today signed an amendment to the Central Communication Port (CPK) Act. According to the government’s justification, the change aims to facilitate the process of expropriation and compensation for affected property owners. It also introduces advance payments of up to 85 percent of the compensation amount.
The new regulations are intended to better protect the rights of individuals whose properties will be affected by decisions determining the location of investments under the CPK program. The act introduces a new structure for location decisions. Currently, such a decision does not automatically initiate compensation proceedings for the expropriated property. After the change, it will be possible to grant the decision immediate enforceability, which will trigger, among other things, the start of proceedings to determine compensation and allow the CPK company to use the property for construction purposes.
The act also introduces a minimum period for vacating the property, which until now has not existed—something that has often led to unfavorable situations for expropriated persons. After the change, the deadline for vacating a property cannot be shorter than:
• 120 days from the date the location decision becomes final,
• or 120 days from the issuance of the first-instance compensation decision, if the location decision was granted immediate enforceability.
The act also sets a deadline for the voivode (regional governor) to determine the amount of compensation: 30 daysfrom the date the location decision becomes final, or 60 days from the date it is granted immediate enforceability.
The amendment also ensures that more people will be eligible for advance compensation payments. In addition to owners of built-up properties, owners of undeveloped land will also qualify. A person entitled to compensation may apply for an advance payment of 85 percent of the compensation amount determined by the first-instance authority. The advance will be paid within 30 days of submitting the application.
The act will enter into force the day after its publication.
As part of the CPK Program, a central airport is to be built between Warsaw and Łódź, along with a High-Speed Rail network. The new airport will initially be capable of handling 34 million passengers annually and will be designed for flexible long-term expansion in line with market needs and forecasts.
According to the approved schedule, construction of the CPK airport—in the municipalities of Baranów, Wiskitki, and Teresin—is set to begin in 2026. In 2031, the airport is expected to obtain the necessary certifications, and in 2032, it will be opened for operation along with the first section of Poland’s High-Speed Rail line: Warsaw – CPK – Łódź. The total estimated cost of the investment by 2032 is 131.7 billion PLN.