The supervisory board of Centralny Port Komunikacyjny has abruptly dismissed CEO Filip Czernicki and board member Dariusz Kuś, just as Poland’s flagship transport project is gearing up for the construction phase. The decision was made on July 30, 2026, with the company confirming the news the following day.
The state-owned company, fully owned by the State Treasury, did not specify why the two managers were removed. Unofficial reports suggest the ouster may be connected to recent media publications concerning CPK, but the company says it is not commenting on those reports. Marcin Michalski, formerly a board member, has been appointed acting president until a new CEO is chosen.
Management changes have become a recurring feature around the project. Czernicki took over as CPK president in April 2024, while Kuś joined the board in February 2024. After the latest reshuffle, the remaining board members are Piotr Rachwalski and Adam Ferens. In June 2026, government commissioner for CPK Maciej Lasek was also dismissed, with Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Piotr Malepszak taking his place.
Construction on the horizon
The dismissal came one day after CPK announced the opening of a competitive dialogue for the design and construction of a tunnel and an underground railway station below the future airport. That tender is seen as one of the most crucial procedures for the entire investment. The project, called Port Polska, is planned to enter the construction phase in 2026 and be commissioned in 2032.
In late May, Czernicki assured lawmakers that the company was ready to launch the initial works.
– In the coming weeks we expect the building permit. We already have permits for preparatory work, so nothing stands in the way of starting the investment. The first stage of the investment will start soon – he said during a sitting of the parliamentary infrastructure committee.
The airport is to be built between Warsaw and Łódź and is designed to serve 34 million passengers a year in its initial phase, with the possibility of flexible expansion later. The high-speed rail component includes a roughly 130-kilometre line between Łódź and Warsaw, due by the end of 2032, and sections from Łódź to Poznań and Wrocław to be completed by 2035. Trains on those routes are expected to run at up to 320 km/h.
What the dismissed CEO predicted for Polish aviation
In an interview for WNP published in April, Czernicki argued that the construction of Port Polska is already generating a market of multi-billion-zloty orders. He said the company wanted to strengthen Polish contractors while relying on foreign partners for the most technologically demanding tasks.
– Finding the right balance is key. Poland’s interest is not limited solely to selecting a contractor; equally important is making use of the chance to learn from the most experienced partners. This is a real opportunity for the development of Polish construction companies – he told WNP.
Czernicki also predicted that the new airport would reshape air transport in central Poland. According to CPK analyses, backed by IATA data, the impact on regional airports will be limited, at around a few percent, and would come mainly from high-speed rail rather than the airport itself.
– The impact of Port Polska on regional airports will be small – estimated at a few percent. It will not result directly from the construction of the new airport, but rather from the development of high-speed rail – he explained.
The former CEO expected some passengers flying on domestic routes to switch to fast trains, notably those travelling on one-day business trips.
– In this area, a faster and more price-competitive high-speed rail offer will gradually replace air transport – he pointed out.
He was equally blunt about Radom airport.
– Radom airport did not become a project that could effectively compete on the market – he assessed, adding that the airport’s significance remains marginal.
He saw greater potential in Łódź, which could become, among other things, a service base for the new airport.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Rafał Guz / PAP
