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Polish government refuses to set date for eurozone entry

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 26.02.2013 13:38
Poland’s president and prime minister refused to set a date for adopting the European single currency, Tuesday, but said that fulfilling entry criteria by end of 2015 is a priority.

President
President Komorowski (left) and PM Tusk on Tuesday: photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

President Bronislaw Komorowski told journalists that so-called Maastricht criteria on interest rates, debt levels, inflation and other measures demanded by the EU must be met, so to be able to “take political decisions on joining the eurozone after presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015”.

Naming a target date for joining the eurozone should be postponed, however, till “the end of the process of preparing and fulfilling Maastricht criteria," Komorowski said.

President Komorowski met with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and government ministers to discuss strategy for joining the eurozone and "to determine a time line of activities by the end of 2015," he said.

Prime Minister Tusk said at a joint press conference that being a member of the eurozone is vital for Poland, both politically and economically.

"We are strong supporters of Poland participating in the process of European integration and not remaining on the sidelines,” Tusk, who leads the centre-right Civic Platform/PSL coalition, said.

“It should be emphasized that the single currency is now a key part of European integration. Staying outside the common currency, as a strategy, would be dangerous for Poland,” Tusk said.

The prime minister added that "even if for some reason our march towards the eurozone is delayed, it's still worth meeting the entry criteria because it will be good for Polish citizens and for the country."

Another goal for both the government and president, however, is winning a vote in parliament, where they will need a two-thirds majority to be able to join the eurozone, meaning that they need support from some members of the opposition.

Law and Justice (PiS), the largest opposition party, says that before adopting the single currency they will call for a national referendum on the issue.

Recent opinion polls indicate, though, that a majority in the country oppose giving up the Polish currency, the zloty, and adopting the euro. (pg)

Source: PAP

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