Coalition partner threatens to quit over Miller's land ownership compromise

A compromise put forward by Prime Minister Leszek Miller to resolve the disp ute over land ownership by foreigners has reportedly been blocked by coaliti on partner the Polish Peasants Party (PSL). According to Gazeta Wyborcza, Mi ller's proposal was based on a two-tier system for calculating the obligator y leasing period before land could be purchased. Prior to Poland's European Union (EU) entry, the period would be calculated from the date the leasing a greement was signed. After EU membership, the period would be calculated fro m the date of Poland's EU entry. Gazeta Wyborcza reports the PSL threatened to quit the coalition with Miller's Democratic Left Alliance if it came unde r any pressure to accept the proposal. Government spokesman Michal Tober sai d a final decision on the land issue would be taken after a meeting tomorrow between the government and EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen. "H is visit will be a chance to discuss the various possibilities," Tober expla ined. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1) P.W.