Chase Manhattan: leftist candidates such as Belka inappropriate to head NBP

Investment bank Chase Manhattan has given a negative assessment of Presidential economic aide Marek Belka as a candidate for head of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), since he is perceived too closely associated with the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). The new NBP president will be named by President Aleksander Kwasniewski, but must be approved by the Sejm. Kwasniewski said he has eight candidates and has named four of them, including Belka. However, Chase Manhattan says that the Sejm could veto a candidate closely linked to the SLD in fear this would increase the party's domination. Chase Manhattan has ranked potential candidates for the post, giving highest marks to former Finance Minister Leszek Balcerowicz and Monetary Policy Council (RPP) members Marek Dabrowski and Cezary Jozefiak. (Puls Biznesu, p 10)