A would-be reformer bows out

The resignation of Deputy Finance Minister Stanisław Gomułka last week marked the first high-level casualty at the ministry since the Civic Platform (PO) government took office.

A former lecturer at the London School of Economics, Gomułka had held his position in the Ministry since January 3 and was responsible for the preparation of public finance reform and the operational budget. Another deputy finance minister, Elżbieta Suchocka-Roguska, will take over these duties.

Seen by many as a pro-euro figure, industry seniors warned the loss of Gomułka could be a blow to euro adoption plans. "In the context of Gomulka's resignation the risks for the euro convergence plans are rising," central bank governor Sławomir Skrzypek told reporters. Poland is struggling to meet the Maastricht Treaty requirements, with inflation at 4.1 percent for March.

Gomułka refused to give his exact reasons for leaving, but he stressed that they were not personal. "The reasons for my dismissal were presented in a letter to the Prime Minister," he told Rzeczpospolita daily, adding that disagreements over the way financial reforms are to be carried out had influenced his decision. In an interview with Dziennik, Gomułka also said. "I felt a lack of political support from the Prime Minister for my reform work."

The head of PO's parliamentary club, Zbigniew Chlebowski, refused to comment on the details of Gomułka's resignation, but said that the former deputy finance minister had generally agreed with the strategy being implemented by the Finance Ministry.

Chlebowski stressed that the resignation would not hamper work on public finance reform. The draft bill on the reforms is to be ready in June and, once enacted, the legislation is expected to take effect on January 1, 2009.