An interview with Leszek Pietraszek, the new chairman of the board of the Metropolis GZM, about setting priorities, the Metropolis’s greatest challenges and problems, as well as expectations regarding the amendment to the metropolitan law, which significantly expands the GZM’s scope of action.
You took over as Chairman of Metropolis from Kazimierz Karolczak, who led the Metropolis for over eight years. Where does Metropolisstand today?
Today, the Metropolis is a mature institution. The first phase of its operation was a time for building structures, gaining trust, and proving that cooperation among 41 local governments makes sense. Today, no one questions the need for the GZM. Residents use the GZM Transport network and Metrorower, and ride modern buses. Now it’s time for the next stage—further consolidation of municipalities and strengthening the Metropolis’s authority.
When you took on your new position, you said, “I’m getting right to work.” What have you been able to accomplish?
I devoted my first few days in office primarily to gaining a detailed understanding of the progress on the Metropolis’s most important projects and to holding discussions with partners, so that we could move from plans to action as quickly as possible. I’ve already set my first priorities. We’re preparing to accelerate work on the construction of the bike highway network, which is set to become the backbone of safe bicycle transportation in the Metropolis. We’re also analyzing the operation of the Metrorower system so that it better meets residents’ needs and becomes an even more attractive alternative to cars.
From day one, I’ve also prioritized collaboration. I meet regularly with Regional Marshal Wojciech Saługa, as well as the presidents, mayors, and commune heads of the municipalities that make up the GZM, and representatives from the academic and business communities. Only by working together can we effectively carry out ambitious projects for the entire region. One of the topics we’re working on intensively is finding new uses for post-mining areas. We’re discussing, among other things, the creation of a space technology center on the site of the former Wujek mine. This is an example of a project that combines the region’s industrial heritage with modern technologies and has the potential to become a catalyst for development across the entire Metropolis.
What lies ahead for GZM in the coming years?
The coming years will be a period of strategic decision-making. We want to integrate public transportation with rail even more closely, develop cycling infrastructure, prepare joint investment projects, and effectively secure European funding. New technologies, the digitization of public services, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity will also play an increasingly important role. The Metropolis should be an organization that not only responds to change but is also capable of anticipating it.
Which challenges are the most important today?
They are all interconnected. Depopulation affects the labor market, transportation, housing, and local government finances. Economic transformation requires creating new jobs and attracting investment. Transportation remains the foundation of the Metropolis’s integration. That is why we cannot view these problems in isolation—we need a comprehensive approach. The role of the Metropolis is precisely to coordinate such efforts across the boundaries of individual cities.
The President of Poland has signed an amendment to the law expanding the powers of the GZM. Is this the beginning of Metropolis 2.0?
That’s how I see it. This is a very important moment. Over the past nine years, we’ve gained experience and know which solutions have worked and which need to be changed. The amendment offers an opportunity to strengthen the Metropolis’s position and better harness its potential. It’s not about change for change’s sake, but about creating tools that will allow us to respond more effectively to residents’ needs and the region’s development challenges.
Should we be thinking about creating a “Supercity”?
I don’t think that’s the most important discussion right now. Above all, residents expect efficient public services, good transportation, investments, and a high quality of life. These goals can be achieved without erasing the identities of individual cities. The strength of the GZM lies precisely in the cooperation of local governments while preserving their distinctiveness. It’s a model that has proven successful in many European metropolitan areas.
Do city and municipal leaders think in metropolitan terms today?
Definitely more so than a few years ago. Of course, every city has its own needs and priorities, but we’re coming to understand more and more that many challenges can only be effectively addressed through collaboration. This is evident, for example, in transportation, land-use planning, and investments. Trust is built over years, and I am convinced that today we are at a much higher level of cooperation than when the Metropolis first began operating.
How do you envision the Metropolis in 10 years?
I envision a modern, well-connected metropolis that effectively competes for residents, investors, and talent. A metropolitan area with a strong metropolitan rail system, a well-developed network of bike paths, modern digital services, and an economy based on knowledge and new technologies. But above all, I would like it to be a metropolitan area that its residents are simply proud of and where life is good. Because that is precisely what all our efforts should be aimed at.
Intervieved by Jaga Kolawa
The interview appeared in the June issue of „Business HUB”: READ HERE.
Leszek Pietraszek is the chairman of the board of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis. He is a political scientist, an MBA graduate, an academic lecturer, a member of the expert councils of the most important universities in the Silesian Voivodeship, and a member of the Polish Economic Society. From November 2024 to April 2026, he served as Deputy Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, responsible for transformation and development, healthcare, international cooperation, sports, and regional promotion. He has been actively involved in the transformation of the mining industry in Silesia and its economic and social consequences. He also served as President of Polska Grupa Górnicza—Europe’s largest company engaged in the extraction and sale of hard coal—and, prior to that, as an officer in the Polish special services: the Office for State Protection and the Internal Security Agency. He headed the Internal Security Agency’s (ABW) regional offices in Opole and Katowice. After leaving the service, he worked for entities dealing with critical infrastructure; subsequently, he became an entrepreneur who co-founded and ran a consulting firm.
The Metropolis GZM is the first and, to date, the only metropolis in Poland established under a separate law. Since 2017, it has brought together 41 cities and municipalities, home to nearly 2.1 million residents. As the country’s first metropolitan association, it combines local identity with the power of cooperation. Local governments jointly carry out tasks that extend beyond the boundaries of individual municipalities—they develop public transportation, support the region’s transformation, attract investors, and strengthen the potential of science and higher education. The Metropolis’s smission is to create the best possible conditions for living, learning, working, and leisure. The metropolitan area operates one of the largest public transportation systems in Europe—Transport GZM—which includes buses, trams, trolleybuses, regional trains, and Metrorower, Poland’s largest and Europe’s third-largest bike-sharing system. It features over 7,000 bicycles available at nearly 1,000 stations across 40 municipalities. The Metropolis actively supports the development of electromobility, prepares projects related to the green transition, digitalization, and innovation, and strengthens cooperation among local governments, the business sector, and the scientific community. Today, it is one of the most important centers for local government cooperation in Poland, implementing projects that improve residents’ quality of life and enhance the competitiveness of the entire region.