In Brief: Government begins to shop for new support in Parliament; Rywin

Government spokesman Michal Tober has denied that Leszek Miller met with Andrzej Lepper and tried to lure Self-Defense into a new coalition. The news was earlier spread by Andrzej Lepper himself (www.polskieradio.pl) ... Artur Balazs' Conservative Peasants Party (SKL) rejected Leszek Miller's proposal to join forces and form a Parliamentary coalition with the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). Balazs reiterated that SKL originates from the Solidarity movement and will remain an opposition party. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4; www.polskieradio.pl) ... The Democratic Peasants Party (PLD) led by Roman Jagielinski and Wojciech Mojzesowicz's Polish Peasants Block (PBL) have been invited by the SLD to cooperate within a new coalition with the SLD. J agielinski welcomed the proposal and said the PLD was interested in co operating in certain areas, including entering the government. PLD's P arliamentary Club has four deputies. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4; www.polsk ieradio.pl) ... Agora's deputy director Piotr Niemczycki denied he had ever tried to force Lew Rywin to lie before the Sejm Investigation Commission and called Rywin word mendacious. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1; www.polskieradio.pl) J.K.