Balcerowicz in the running for prestigious IMF post

The UK's Guardian newspaper cited Balcerowicz along with Jean Lemierre, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Rodrigo Rato, the Spanish Economy Minister, as the most likely candidates for the post, vacated last Thursday by Horst Koehler, who left to run for the German presidency. However, following reports in a Polish newspaper, NBP's press office yesterday said in a statement issued on Balcerowicz's behalf that he would not take the IMF job as his mission at Poland's central bank was too important. (Rzeczpospolita, Mar. 6-7, p. B1) T.J.