Marek Siwiec

Marek Maciej Siwiec
Marek Siwiec (2014)
Vice-President of the European Parliament 13th Vice-President in order of precedence
In office 1 January 2007 – 14 July 2009
President	Hans-Gert Pöttering
4th Chief of the Polish National Security Bureau
In office 19 February 1997 – 17 June 2004
President	Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Preceded by	Jerzy Milewski
Succeeded by	Tadeusz Bałachowicz
Personal details
Born	(1955-02-13) 13 February 1955 Piekary Śląskie, Poland
Political party	Independent (2012–2013, 2015-present) Your Movement (2013–2015) Democratic Left Alliance (1989–2012)

Marek Maciej Siwiec (born 13 March 1955 in Piekary Slaskie) is a Polish politician and from 2004 to 2014 Member of the European Parliament for the Greater Poland Voivodship with the Democratic Left Alliance-Labor Union and Your Movement, part of the Socialist Group and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the European elections of 2004 he obtained 36 985 votes. He was re-elected MEP in 2009, gaining 64 976 votes.

From January 2007 to June 2009 he served as Vice-President of the European Parliament. He also chaired the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. On 12 January 2010, he criticised the current EU policy toward the country saying in the European Parliament "Ukraine is in political chaos, which I think suits many people in the EU". He was observer of the elections in Ukraine in 2006 and 2010.

Previously he was notable as Chief of the Polish National Security Bureau under President Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

Currently he serves as a coordinator of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats for the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. He is member of the Board of Yalta European Strategy foundation, President of European Friends of Israel, member of Global Leadership Council of Colorado State University.

Since 10 December 2011 to 28 April 2012 he was vice-chairman of Democratic Left Alliance.

Education

• 1980: Master of Physics, University of Mining and Metallurgy in Kraków (AGH)
• 1989: Post-graduate study in journalism at the Academy of Social Sciences – Centre for Education of the Foreign Service

Career

• 1981–1982: Assistant at the Electronics Institute of AGH (1980–1982), traineeship with the Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria, Australia
• 1990–1991: Editor-in-chief of the bi-monthly 'Student' (1985–1987), weekly 'ITD' (1987–1990) and the daily 'Trybuna'
• 1991–1997: Member of Parliament of the Polish Republic (Sejm)
• 1993: Spokesman for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Parliamentary Party
• 1993–1996: Member of the National National Broadcasting Council
• 1993–1996: Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
• 1996–2004: Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
• 1997–2004: Chief of the National Security Bureau (Poland)
• 1997–2004: Vice-Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the presidents of Poland and Ukraine
• Secretary of the National Security Council (2000–2004) head of the Polish Association of Friends of the Peres Centre for Peace
• Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation to Counter Terrorism and Biological Threats
• Member of the National Administration of the SLD
• Head of the national delegation to the Party of European Socialists in the EP
• Honours

Decorations

• Order of Gedymin (1997, LT), Cavaliere di Gran Croce (1997, I), Ordem do Merito (1997, P), Ordre de Leopold (1999, B)
• National Order of Merit (2000, F)
• Ubique Patriae Memor (2002, BR)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (2003, LT)
• Virtutea Militară (2003, RO)
• Royal Victorian Order (2004, GB)
• Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 4th and 3rd Class (1997, 2004, UA)

Controversies

During presidency campaign in 2000 a film was published revealing Marek Siwiec, then the chief of National Security Bureau, allegedly parodying a gesture of then pope John Paul II (making a cross sign in the air on arrival). President Kwaśniewski allegedly encouraged Siwiec to make a parody of pope's another gesture (kissing the soil).

According to Institute of National Remembrance (Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation), in 1986 he was registered as a Secret Collaborator (Polish: Tajny Współpracownik, TW) i.e. he collaborated with Ministry of Public Security of Poland during communism. He stopped collaborating in January 1990.

See also:

• European Parliament election, 2004 (Poland)
• European Parliament election, 2009 (Poland)

External links

• Marek Siwiec's blog in English
• Personal profile of Marek Siwiec in the European Parliament's database of members
• Declaration (PDF) of financial interests (Polish)