Government blow - two ministers resign on the same day

The government suffered another major blow yesterday with the resignation of two key ministers. After just one month in office Health Minister Marian Czakański stepped down saying he could not cure the ills of the health service bearing in mind all the political quarrels surrounding it. Finance Minister Andrzej Raczko also handed in his cards to become a member of International Monetary Fund. Czakański said he was unable to solve the conflict over health service reforms between Sejm deputies. According to Rzeczpospolita, the actual reason for his resignation might be his recent disagreement with the Prime Minister over some prominent nominations in the Health Ministry. Marek Balicki, a member of Polish Social Democracy (SDPL), will become the new Health Minister. His nomination came as a surprise as the appointment was not raised during yesterday's meeting of the SDPL Parliamentary Club. Balicki's colleagues did not refrain from criticizing him. Meanwhile Premier Belka appointed Mirosław Gronicki, the chief accountant at Millennium Bank, as the new Finance Minister effective from Wednesday. Gronicki is an technocrats, with no political backing, which means that he will probably be well received by the markets. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A3)J.J.