Until now the government had two deputy prime ministers: Waldemar Pawlak and Grzegorz Schetyna. Their formal position was identical. During Tusk’s absence, they took turns in presiding over government sessions. "Wprost" found that these duties are now to be taken over by the leader of PSL. Why does Tusk not want to have another deputy?

"Schetyna is strongly against it. Giving his portfolio to anyone else would be humiliating for him. He was deputy prime minister because of a long friendship with Tusk. The prime minister does not trust anyone else as he trusted Schetyna," said our source. We have established that Schetyna asked Tusk not to appoint another deputy prime minister.

There are also two other factors. Firstly, appointing another deputy could annoy PSL and from now on Tusk has to take this party more into account. Moreover, the government may have to pay over several hundred thousand zlotys for the resignation of ministers. "Appointing someone deputy prime minister would involve more costs. The reduction of this post may be presented to the media as economising. Not huge, but still," claims one of our insiders in the Prime Minister’s office.

The function of the Minister of the Interior and Administration after Grzegorz Schetyna is likely to be taken over by Małopolska governor Jerzy Miller. "Wprost" found that Tusk’s associates have already spoken to him about this.