Belka's finance proposals seen as crucial to decision on new government

Leader of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Leszek Miller has said the dec ision on whether the new government will be a coalition or a minority gover nment will be taken on Thursday. Yesterday, the second biggest parliamentary party, Civic Platform (PO), declined to enter into a coalition, saying that its backing for a possible minority government depended on the SLD's budget proposals. To date, only the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) has confirmed its willingness to enter into a coalition, on the condition that the SLD adopts a less stringent budget plan. The situation is expected to become clearer a fter Marek Belka, the SLD-Labor Union (SLD-UP) coalition candidate for fina nce minister, meets tomorrow with representatives of PO, the PSL, and farme rs' party Samoobrona to present them with his plan for handling the public finance crisis. Belka has advocated tough measures to limit a soaring budget gap. However, his program is unpopular with agrarian and populist parties. The reaction of the representatives taking part in the meeting is expected to determine what type of government will be formed by the SLD. (Rzeczpospo lita, p. A3; Reuters) M.T.