Politician of the Civic Platform Andrzej Hawranek in January 2025 will presume the function of manager of the Małopolski sanepid. The decision is controversial due to the fact that Hawranek lost the competition for this position to Doctor of Medical Sciences Ewa Wiercińska. Meanwhile, the nomination takes place in the shadow of political games and questions about transparency of recruitment procedures.
Competition for the position of head of the wellness department
One of the first decisions of the fresh Chief Sanitary Inspector Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski was the introduction of competitions for positions of provincial wellness inspectors. In Małopolska, this competition was won by Dr. n. med. Ewa Wiercińska, who gained the GIS advice to take the position. However, in accordance with the 1985 Law on State Sanitary Inspection, the final appointment of the Provincial Sanitary Inspector requires the approval of the voivode.
The Małopolski Voivodeship Krzysztof Klęczar, a politician of the Polish People's Party, waited respective weeks to make a decision. In the end, he decided to appoint Andrzej Hawrank. "Politic recognition has nothing to do with this. I thought that we needed a individual like Mr Hawranek in this position," said Klęczar, defending his decision.
Experience or politics?
Andrzej Hawranek, despite the failure of the competition, from January 2025 will service as the head of the Malopolska wellness department. PO politician argues that his nomination is justified: “The advice is not the end of the competition. The competition isn't over yet. 12 years I have worked in the Sanepid, of which 10 are the principal," Hawranek emphasizes in a conversation with the media.
In turn, the media reminds us that Andrzej Hawranek had already been employed under "strange circumstances". Interia.pl portal reports that PO politicians previously took a position in the Municipal Cleanup Company in Krakow without conducting a competition and publishing a occupation notice.
Backroom gameplay
Some commentators point to the political background of the provincial decision. “Andrzej was counting on this position. In the past, he worked in the sanepid and has any experience. However, the competition was held and it turned out that there was individual better than him. And it became a problem," said 1 of the Krakow politicians of PO in an interview with Interia.pl portal.
Meanwhile, Hawrank's nomination was announced by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, which sparked another wave of comments. Experts and media point out that specified a decision can affect the perception of public institutions as opaque and dominated by political interests.
Conclusion
The decision to appoint Andrzej Hawrank to the position of manager of the Małopolska wellness department, despite the failure of the competition, raises questions about the transparency of procedures and limits of political interference in public administration. Although the Voivode Klęczar defends his decision by arguing with substantive reasons, critics draw attention to possible conflicts of interest and deficiency of compliance with the principles of competitiveness. Meanwhile, Hawrank's nomination poses further challenges for the Polish sanitary administration and its perception in the eyes of the public.
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