GUS report on first quarter; public told to hope for recovery in second qua rter

Data published by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) shows that there has been no economic recovery in the first quarter of 2002. Reviewing economic figures for the period from January to March, GUS' deputy chairman Janusz W itkowski, yesterday said that "Unfavorable tendencies causing slower econom ic growth continued in the first three months this year. One has to hang on es hopes for a recovery on the second quarter". The figures for industry and the construction sectors are worse than a year ago, foreign trade was incre asing at a slower pace during the first two months of 2002, compared to the same period last year and unemployment still remains a serious problem, par ticularly among the young. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2), M.T.