Government criticized for excessive force during Lucznik workers protest

Democratic Left Alliance leader Leszek Miller said on Friday that the ruling coalition of Solidarity Election Action (SLD) and Freedom Union (UW) had used up all its power and read a statement which said that under the existing government, violence grows and jeopardizes the lives of innocent people as well as police officers. The solution presented by Miller is early parliamentary elections. Miller's statement was immediately supported by Polish Peasant Party (PSL) leader Jaroslaw Kalinowski. The government was also criticized by the National Trade Unions' Alliance (OPZZ) and 'Solidarity' of the miners' trade unions for permitting the use of rubber bullets during the protest. The former demanded that the Cabinet resign while the latter wanted only the dismissal of Interior Minister Janusz Tomaszewski. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 1)