Jakub Kumoch leaves president's chancellery. He will be replaced by Marcin Przydacz

Jakub Kumoch announced on social media that the Wednesday's visit to Lviv was his "last project in service for Mr President". He stressed he was leaving the chancellery at his own request and that it had been agreed with and approved by his superiors a few months prior. The decision comes after "one and a half years of very intensive work" as secretary of state and head of the International Policy Bureau.

he added he was now able to reveal the reasons. He wrote that in October (of 2022 - edit.) he had asked Andrzej Duda to bring him back to foreign service, but there still had been plenty of tasks to complete, including finding his replacement.

"Supporting the Republic of Poland in the first months of the war and taking part in shaping Polish-Ukrainian relations was an honour to me. Unfortunately, the family situation and permanent separation from my dearest have turned out an insurmountable obstacle for me and my children. I was not able to resolve it and I had to make a choice between the current duty of serving the State and being a father. I believe I have made the right choice," Kumoch stressed.

President Andrzej Duda decorated Jakub Kumoch with Order of Polonia Restituta Fifth Class, the Knight's Cross.

He assured he spoke openly about the reasons for his decision in order to end any speculation. "I;m very grateful to Mr President for understanding my situation, which is known to him, for offering support and for entrusting me soon with a new, responsible, and very challenging task," he added.

Kumoch also said he would be replaced by an "oustanding professional" with whom he had worked for years, and whom he personally recommended to president Duda. His competencies, Kumoch added, "guarantee a dynamic international activity of the President of Poland and - most importantly - firmness or our stance on Ukraine and transatlantic policy".

"I remain at the Service of the Republic of Poland. New challenges coming soon," he underscored.

A few hours later, the president's office announced it appointed Marcin Przydacz as undersecretary of state - head of the International Policy Bureau.

Przydacz is Undersecretary of State for Security, the Americas, and Eastern Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He already worked at the Chancellery of the President - n 2015-2019 he was deputy chief of Foreign Affairs Bureau.

Jakub Kumoch was appointed Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the President of Poland and Head of International Policy Bureau on July 14, 2021.

From October, 2016, until March, 2020, Kumoch served as Poland's Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and from then until July, 2021, as Ambassador to Turkey.

An orientalist, political scientist, and an expert on European Union's external relations, Kumoch speaks fluently in Turkish, English, French, Croatian, Spanish, Russian, German, and Italian. He also uses Ukrainian and Arabic.