Democratic Left Alliance holds conference to review party program

"The worst is over," said Leszek Miller during a Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) party conference to review their party program. The Prime Minister po inted out what he called government's successes, including saving the public finances from bankruptcy and introducing policies to protect the poorest se ctions of society. He also said that the current major problems the governm ent faces are those they inherited from the previous government led by Jerzy Buzek, whom Miller accused of "abuses, cheating, embezzlement and common th ieft". However, local SLD activists complained about Miller's government, s aying they find it difficult to explain reasons behind unpopular decisions to the wider public. They also criticized the government for withdrawing fr om direct elections for local authorities. Miller underlined that the state ment was merely a "proposal to be discussed", and promised to take the opin ions of local party leaders into consideration. (Zycie, pp. 1, 5; Rzeczposp olita, p. A1, A3; Gazeta Wyborcza, pp. 1, 6) M.K.