Infrastructure Minister declares PKP employee demands unrealistic

In a reply to numerous trade union protests at Polish State Railways (PKP), Infrastructure Minister Marek Pol announced that the demands presented by th e PKP employees were unrealistic. The union demands a suspension of the deci sion to liquidate regional train connections, a donation of zł. 1.2 billion from the budget, and a withdrawal from the planned privatization of the PKP Group. In a statement, Pol announced that the state had already taken the de cision to liquidate only 353, and not as earlier planned, the 1,050 regional connections. The Infrastructure Minister also stated that no mass layoffs we re planned, adding that the company had to find an investor in order to rema in competitive when other carriers enter the market in 2006. "PKP must searc h for investment capital and a strong partner, in order to easily compete an d provide jobs for the people," said Pol. In reply, the union representative s stated that a general strike would commence on July 23 if the current prot ests did not bring any benefits. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) A.K.