Sejm Marshal Szymon Hołownia visited the United States on October 3‑4 for talks with U.N. officials, and the expenses of his trip were disclosed on request by TVN24.
Sejm Marshal’s U.S. Visit
During his trip on October 3‑4, Hołownia met with representatives of the United Nations, including Secretary‑General António Guterres and UN General Assembly President Angela Baerbock. The visit was linked to his candidacy for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Trip Cost Breakdown
TVN24 asked the Sejm Secretariat who paid for the marshal’s visit and how much it cost. The Secretariat confirmed the trip was classified as a Sejm marshmallow visit and therefore was financed by the Sejm Secretariat. Ticket costs were 123,747.14 PLN, meals 2,340.75 PLN, and insurance 200 PLN. Lodging amounts remain pending. For comparison, in the same term, MP Paweł Kowal travelled 26 foreign trips costing 171,902 PLN, Radosław Fogiel travelled 17 trips costing 104,549 PLN, and Iwona Arent travelled 11 trips costing 76,244 PLN.
Post‑Visit Commentary
Hołownia said the most important meeting was with Guterres, who would recommend a joint candidate for the High Commissioner. He added that the selection process would take another 1½ to 2 months. Hołownia declined to speculate on his own chances and noted that several other candidates have now come forward.
Sejm’s Social‑Media Announcement
The Sejm Secretariat posted that during the meeting Hołownia thanked the UN for years of support to Poland amid Europe’s geopolitical situation. He also expressed backing for UN reform and suggested that national parliaments be more actively involved in international initiatives, emphasizing that global peace depends on cooperation.