1st LD: Polish president sacks defense, foreign ministers

WARSAW, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Polish President Andrzej Duda Tuesday sacked defense and foreign ministers at the request of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Jacek Czaputowicz has replaced Witold Waszczykowski on the post of minister of foreign affairs in the government reshuffle, local media reported.

Mariusz Blaszczak, former minister of interior and administration, has been appointed as the minister of national defense, replacing Antoni Macierewicz. Joachim Brudzinski replaced Blaszczak on the post of minister of interior and administration.

The post of minister of economic development and finance, previously held by Mateusz Morawiecki, who currently holds a post of prime minister, has been divided.

Teresa Czerwinska has been appointed as the new minister of finance, while Jerzy Kwiecinski has been appointed the minister of investments and development and Jadwiga Emilewicz - the new minister of entrepreneurship and technologies.

Other appointments included Andrzej Adamczyk as minister of infrastructure, Lukasz Szumowski as minister of health as well as Henryk Kowalczyk as minister of environment.

The president congratulated the newly appointed ministers and expressed will and hope for effective cooperation.

Mateusz Morawiecki, who was sworn in as prime minister on Dec. 11, 2017, after Beata Szydlo resigned from the post on Dec. 7, emphasized that he did not want a dogmatic, doctrinal, or extremist government, but rather a government that connects the economy with society. Enditem