Business leaders fear high taxes and employment costs over interests rates

According to a poll carried out by Pracownia Badan Spolecznych, a Sopot base d research company, high taxes and employment costs are the main obstacles h indering company development and the creation of new jobs. According to 59% of managers in medium and large enterprises, the main barriers are excessive taxes, while 57% indicated employment costs. These barriers are particularly arduous for medium sized enterprises, agreed 67% of respondents. Other probl ems that businesspersons have to face include bureaucracy, high interest rat es, weak demand and tough competition. However these factors were mentioned only rarely. Some 7% blamed the lack of job creation on the value of the zlo ty, while 25% believe that more jobs would be created if the National Bank o f Poland cut interest rates. A little over half of business owners (54%) cl aimed that the currency should be strong when Poland enters the European Uni on. Every second responded said that low inflation is a positive factor help ing business development and should be kept at a low level. The survey encom passed 507 companies who were questioned in the first week of June. (Rzeczpo spolita, p. B2) A.K.