Balcerowicz pulls out of UW leadership race, prefers NBP presidency

Former Finance Minister and Freedom Union (UW) leader Leszek Balcerowicz appears to have targeted the presidency of the National Bank of Poland (NBP) as his next career goal. Inside sources claim that Balcerowicz has decided he will not run for re-election as head of UW at the party's December convention. Meanwhile, Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) leader Leszek Miller disclosed that Tadeusz Mazowiecki, former head of UW, is exploring the possibility of garnering support for his candidacy from other parties. SLD is unlikely to back Balcerowicz, but Solidarity Election Action (AWS) could do so if UW in return supports AWS's budget draft. The candidate for head of NBP is designated by the President and then has to be approved by the Sejm. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A2; Zycie, p.7)