IMF representative confident gov't will not surpass budget deficit in 1999

As a result, this year's economic growth will not be above 5%, as originally estimated in the budget draft, but slightly below 4%, believes Franciszek Rozwadowski, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission in Poland. However, Rozwadowski assures that there is no need to panic. "I still believe that the total budget deficit for this year will not exceed the projected zl. 12.8 billion ceiling," said Rozwadowski reminding that deficits are always higher in the first half of the year as more than half of tax levies are collected in the second half. Moreover, the first half of the year saw considerable expenditures on health care, administration and pension reforms. According to Rozwadowski, economic growth is conditional upon the good economic shape of the country, specifically stable macroeconomic policy and acceleration of privatization and restructuring of the steel and mining sectors. (Rzeczpospolita, page B1)