Former PM to stay as MP till end of parliament

Waldemar Pawlak: photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

“I have read the good advice of colleagues who would like to send me to the ends of the world, but I will definitely stay in politics until the end of the parliamentary term [in 2015],” Pawlak told the TVN 24 news station.

Pawlak was deposed as party leader at the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) convention by Janusz Piechociński and immediately announced he was standing down as deputy prime minister and economy in the Civic Platform/PSL coalition.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk has yet to re-appoint the vacant posts.

“We now have a new period in the history of PSL,” Pawlak, who has been deputy PM for the last five years after re-emerging from a period in the political wilderness seven years ago after being twice prime minister in the 1990s.

“I will remember with the last 7 years with great fondness, I came back from the periphery to the centre of politics and [the party] in a coalition government and in all provincial assemblies. It was an adventure during a 'great depression' [finance crisis'. I'll have plenty to remember,” he said.

He added, though, that his time in government was one of “exhaustion”.

“It was a heavy load.” (pg)