Election campaigning intensifies with reports of vote-buying in the primaries

The parliamentary election primaries held at the weekend in the small south-western town of Bystrzyca Klodzka featured some heavy campaigning, including lots of pledges and instances of vote-buying. The Samoobrona (Self-defense) movement headed by charismatic farmers'leader Andrzej Lepper was reported to have paid people to vote for him and judging by its result in the primaries, the price was right. Samoobrona received 16% of votes giving it second place behind leftist SLD-UP alliance, with 33%. Most nationwide polls give Samoobrona no more than 3% support. The Polish Peasant Party (PSL), which placed its billboard in the best locations around the city, came third with 11%. The Law and Order movement, whose leaders promised that if it wins the September elections "capital flowing into Poland will be directed to regions outside of Warsaw," was fourth with 9%. (Rzeczpospolita, p.A4) T.J.