Coalition collapse will not derail EU entry - Miller

Yesterday Prime Minister Leszek Miller vowed not to let the decision to end his party's coalition with the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) derail the country's EU accession plans. The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) is now 19 seats short of a parliamentary majority ahead of an EU referendum due in June. "Even though the ministers change, the goals of this government do not: The first is to join the European Union," Miller told reporters. He ruled out seeking new coalition allies, saying majorities could be built to pass key measures. Shaking up his cabinet for the third time this year, Miller nominated Adam Tanski to become Agriculture Minister, replacing PSL leader Jaroslaw Kalinowski. He also promoted Czeslaw Sledziak to the post of Environment Minister. Kalinowski said that, "The outcome of the referendum will depend on restoring farmers' confidence," before listing a string of demands, including government top-ups for EU farm subsidies. (Reuters) M.M.