Balcerowicz's NBP president bid hinges on discipline among AWS deputies

Sejm deputies from the Solidarity Election Action (AWS) and Freedom Union (UW) agreed to support the candidacy of Leszek Balcerowicz for the post of president of National Bank of Poland (NBP) in today's voting in the Sejm, while the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Polish Peasant Party (PSL) are against it. The representatives of PSL accuse Balcerowicz of supporting the sale of Polish banks to foreign investors, which according to them could be dangerous to the interests of the Polish economy. The second common reservation refers to the fact that according to the Polish Constitution the president of NBP should be politically independent, while many believe that Balcerowicz does not meet that requirement. The candidate for the president of NBP needs to gather 231 votes. AWS and UW together command 244, but AWS deputies have shown in the past that they sometimes have problems with discipline in voting, meaning that Balcerowicz is not certain to be elected tomorrow. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 11; Zycie, p.1) A.D.