WARSINA (WASP) — Chancellor Janać has appointed former minister of Floridian Affairs Paweł Bościciału as the Republic's new minister of Foreign Affairs. He succeeds Olwarz Piniatyk, who resigned from his office two days earlier.
Although the precise circumstances of Piniatyk's dismissal have not been revealed yet, it is a public secret that he and the chancellor could not get along well personally, and that minister Piniatyk has been increasingly critical of the government's achievements in Southeast Florida. At numerous occasions, the minister described chancellor Janać's behaviour as “authoritarian” and his unconditional support for governor-general Bambaryła as “naive”. He also criticised the growing influence of the latter's party, the ŻŻŻ. Observers have noted a growing tension between the two during the last year, which has finally culminated in Piniatyk's dismissal.
It is hard to predict how Piniatyk's dismissal will affect his party, the Blok Rzejpybiełkany. BR chairman Roman Bartołyczy has said that his party “for now” will not withdraw its ministers from the Janać government. However, it is unclear what Piniatyk and his supporters will do in the near future. Both Piniatyk and Bartołyczy know that a rift in the party might seriously jeopardise the chances of both sides in the next elections. On the other hand, if the BR or even a significant part of it withdraws its support to the government, the latter will lose its parliamentary majority.
Bościciału has now succeeded Piniatyk as Foreign minister, but not as vice-chancellor on behalf of the BR. The latter function has been taken over by Finance minister Żyścina Golana.
Paweł Bościciału (44) has been a long-time member of the Sejm on behalf of the BR, among others as chairman of the Sejm committee for Economic Cooperation with Southeast Florida. In June 2006, he became minister of Floridian Affairs in the Aldendorf government, a function he was forced to give up earlier this month, after the Sejm had issued a negative evaluation of the Republic's progress in Southeast Florida. This seems to have been the prelude of a major shift within the government: Jaków Puliny (ŻŻŻ) became the head of a new Ministry of Colonies, that would replace the Ministry of Floridian Affairs but also encompass Venedic West Africa, and now Bościciału has made his comeback as Foreign minister.
Earlier, critics of the Janać government have suggested that the chancellor might actually use the Sejm's verdict as a means to get rid of his rival Piniatyk. Today's decision seems to confirm this.