Former volleyball player Marcin Możdżonek is a candidate for the president of Olsztyn. Starting from the “Lepszy Olsztyn” committee

During a meeting with journalists in Olsztyn on Thursday , Marcin Możdżonek officially announced that he would run for the position of mayor of the city from his own electoral committee of voters “Lepszy Olsztyn”, which will also field candidates for the city council. He emphasized that he decided to start after talks with representatives of various circles who – as he said – agree that Olsztyn requires change.

– The first and most important thing that should be introduced in our city is to attract investors and attract businesses that will provide better-paid jobs. We need to attract some large companies to stabilize our market

– said Możdżonek.

He added that there is no problem with unemployment in the city, but there is a problem with “the flattening of the median wage” and they need to be raised to such a level that people receive a decent wage for good work. He also mentioned that investments are needed that will bring income to the city, and the technologically changing business requires an appropriate educational offer from Olsztyn secondary schools and the University of Warmia and Mazury.

He noted that he would gradually present the details of his program and the names of candidates for councilors in the following days.

Możdżonek said that he was running from his own committee, although – as he noted – some media attributed him to various political and party sympathies. He added that before the last parliamentary elections, five different committees approached him with a proposal to run for the Sejm from their lists.

– I refused everyone, some accepted it with humility, some were a little offended at me, but such is life. I wanted to enter politics on my own terms, without any political affiliations, in order to actually do something, and you have a lot of, or perhaps the greatest, agency in local government.

– said the former volleyball player.

Możdżonek is 39 years old. After ending his sports career in 2020, he went into business. He also established a foundation named after himself, which, among other things, helps children and teenagers realize their sports dreams. A few months ago, he was elected president of the Supreme Hunting Council, the supervisory body of the Polish Hunting Association.

The player, who played as a center for many years, won – together with the Polish national volleyball team -, among others: European championship in 2009 and world championship in 2014. In total, he played 242 matches for the national team, serving as its captain for some time. He was also successful in clubs – he won nine Polish championship medals, including three gold ones (2009, 2010, 2011).

In 2009, for his outstanding sports achievements, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, and five years later the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

So far , the following people have announced their participation in the elections for the mayor of Olsztyn: the current chairman of the city council, Robert Szewczyk from the Civic Coalition, Bartosz Grucela from the Left and city councilor Mirosław Arczak – candidate of KWW “Wspólny Olsztyn”.

The current mayor of Olsztyn, Piotr Grzymowicz , stated a week ago that he would not run for re-election, but would only run for the city council. At the same time, he supported Szewczyk’s candidacy.

In Olsztyn, since 2010, Grzymowicz and the previous mayor of the city, Czesław Małkowski, have competed in the second rounds of local elections each time.