Morawiecki accuses Tusk of taking credit for Łomża railway restoration, a project initiated and funded by PiS
Prime Minister Donald Tusk inaugurated the return of passenger trains to Łomża after 33 years, but former premier Mateusz Morawiecki says the investment was financed under the PiS government's Kolej Plus programme in 2022 and accuses Tusk of claiming credit.
After 33 years, trains return to Łomża
From Sunday, 14 June, regular passenger services will connect Łomża with Ostrołęka, Białystok and Olsztyn for the first time in 33 years. PKP Intercity will run two pairs of trains and Polregio four pairs, with a journey to Białystok taking about 1.5 hours and to Olsztyn 2 hours 20 minutes. On Saturday Donald Tusk held a press conference in Łomża, calling the launch a moment of pride.
Łomża waited 33 years and it's finally happening. We are launching direct connections to Ostrołęka, Białystok, Olsztyn, and next year you will be able to travel from Łomża directly to Warsaw, on modern trains made by the Polish company Newag.
PiS claims ownership of the project
Mateusz Morawiecki, who served as prime minister in the PiS-led government, immediately accused Tusk of stealing credit. He said the line was part of the Kolej Plus programme and was financed in 2022. MP Sebastian Łukaszewicz issued a detailed timeline of decisions taken under the previous government, from the creation of Kolej Plus in 2019 to the signing of a 430-million-zloty realisation contract in 2023.
I remember how in 2022 we financed this investment under the Kolej Plus programme. This isn't the first time you're riding on our successes, Donald.
- PiS government establishes the Kolej Plus programme to fight transport exclusion.
- PKP PLK signs documentation contract with Podlaskie voivodeship for the Śniadowo-Łomża section.
- CPK plan includes Warsaw-Ostrołęka-Łomża-Pisz-Giżycko route with a 1h15 travel time.
- Realisation contract for Łapy-Śniadowo-Łomża signed; value ~430m zł (366m zł from state budget).
- Tusk government signs contractor agreement for the investment.
- First regular passenger trains serve Łomża after 33-year hiatus.
Tusk's rebuttal and acceleration pledge
Tusk avoided a partisan tone, saying he was glad that joint effort had led to better connections and noting that PKP has no political colours. He claimed that under earlier plans Łomża would not get a direct Warsaw train until 2034, but his government had decided to move the connection forward to next year.
That means you would have had to wait another eight years. We decided that the connection would happen next year.
He also described Poland as becoming Europe's largest railway investor. Critics point out that the current Warsaw‑Łomża journey plan of 1 hour 50 minutes is slower than the 1 hour 15 minutes once foreseen under the CPK programme.
- CPK plan (2021)
- 75 minutes
- Current plan (2027)
- 110 minutes
