Government backing for new central bank legislation less likely after meetin g

The ruling Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) is less likely to back legislation to change the central bank charter following this week's meeting between ban kers and the cabinet, a senior SLD official said yesterday. "It seems that o ur decision earlier to wait before we back this bill was correct," Jerzy Jas kiernia, head of the SLD's parliamentary caucus, told Reuters. "I cannot rul e out anything, but after Wednesday's meeting the chances that we will appro ve the bill have been severely limited," he said. Blaming the central bank f or damaging the economy with steep borrowing costs, government officials had signalled that the meeting would help them decide whether to support legisla tive action against the Monetary Policy Council (RPP). The Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) introduced a bill in December to add six members to the 10-stron g RPP to tip its stance toward easing rates. (Reuters)