Belka digs in on pensions

Outgoing Prime Minister Marek Belka has said he will ask Poland's highest court to decide on a controversial, recently passed law on boosting miners' pensions by zł.18 billion by 2010.

"We are preparing to file such a case before the Constitutional Tribunal," Belka told daily Rzeczpospolita.

The law was passed over the summer despite heavy criticism that it was too expensive.

However, the measure is controversial not only because of its cost - which comes to more than half of Poland's annual budget deficit - but also because it deals only with miners and leaves many other workers' groups high and dry just as their deal on pre-retirement programs is set to run out at the end of next year.

The law, which was passed following a violent street protest by miners' trade unions, was opposed by Belka's government but backed by its power base in parliament, the leftist SLD, as well as all other parties except for Civic Platform (PO).

Outgoing President Aleksander Kwaśniewski claimed he signed the bill into law because the social implications of its rejection took priority over its cost to the taxpayer. However, critics contend that the decision was an attempt to lift the left's sagging popularity.

The budget deficit is still Poland's biggest obstacle to eurozone membership. Critics say the pre-election handout makes the process more difficult.