The Warsaw city council approved a motion raising Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski’s monthly salary to the statutory maximum, boosting it from roughly 18,300 PLN to 23,000 PLN.
Motion Adopted
During a council session, the ruling Civic Coalition presented a draft resolution to set Mayor Trzaskowski’s salary at the highest level allowed by city‑official regulations. The resolution ties the mayor’s pay to the upper limit defined in the 2025 budget law, calculated as 11.2 times the base amount of 1,878.89 PLN, resulting in a gross monthly salary of 23,000 PLN.
Justification by Civic Coalition
Civic Coalition leader Jarosław Szostakowski argued that Warsaw is the country’s largest municipality and its mayor was among the lowest‑paid mayors nationally. He noted Trzaskowski’s earlier decision to cap his pay at 80% of the maximum during his first term, citing municipal financial strain under the previous government. The current increase is presented as aligning the salary with the mayor’s responsibilities and the city’s economic reality.
Opposition and Criticism
Law and Justice representatives, led by councillor Dariusz Figura, opposed the raise, claiming that Trzaskowski had previously requested a lower salary while campaigning for the presidency and that Warsaw’s budget had surplus and high ratings, indicating that the former modesty was politically motivated. The opposition also criticised the mayor’s frequent absences from council meetings, including the session on his salary, arguing this hampers substantive discussion.
Vote Result
The resolution passed with 34 Civic Coalition votes in favour, 13 Law and Justice votes against, and six left‑wing councillors abstaining. The new salary will take effect immediately, raising the mayor’s monthly gross income from about 18,300 PLN to 23,000 PLN.
