AWS and UW support sees Miroslaw Sekula elected new head of NIK

The Sejm on Friday elected Miroslaw Sekula from Solidarity Election Action (AWS) as the new head of the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK). Sekula, who had the support of the AWS and the Freedom Union (UW), received 229 ballots in the final round of voting, while 204 deputies voted in favor of incumbent NIK president, Janusz Wojciechowski from the Polish Peasants Party (PSL). The UW had initially raised reservations about Sekula, and named its own candidate for the post, Helena Goralska. However, once Goralska had been eliminated and Sekula and Wojciechowski progressed to the second round of voting, the UW, anxious to prevent a leftist candidate from winning the post, reached an agreement with the AWS. In return for backing Sekula, the UW demanded AWS support for some of its legislative plans, particularly that of creating the National Education Foundation (FEN). Miroslaw Sekula has since 1999 been head of the Sejm's Public Finance Commission. (Rzeczpospolita, July 7-8, p. A2) T.J.