Belka's days seem increasingly numbered

Marek Belka will personally engage in talks to find a parliamentary majority to support his government in the vote of confidence. However, Polish Social Democracy (SDPL) deputies seem to have given up hope of reaching an agreement with Belka. Andrzej Celiński, an SDPL leader said that the Friday vote on the final report of the Rywin commission proved that the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) is an unreliable partner and no political agreement is possible. Jolanta Banach from SDPL added that the vote showed that power has now passed to the opposition parties and any government formed by SLD will have problems with virtually everything. Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk also believes that the events in the Sejm on Friday will make finding support for Belka's government in Parliament even less possible. Only Marek Dyduch, the SLD secretary general, said he still hoped that some deputies would change their minds after the election to the European Parliament and decide to support Belka. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) E.B.