Leaked document indicates Poland not siding with UK

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's telephone call to PM Tusk last week about Poland's support has thus come to nothing. At the upcoming meeting of the EU Council in Brussels next week, Poland, the UK's main ally to date, will vote in favor of the directive no matter what position the UK government takes. However, it wants to use its support to win a special opt-out clause on doctors' overtime that will help the government defuse the crisis in the healthcare sector. Under the proposed clause, doctors would be able to opt for a maximum of 65 hours' week (the cap would be 60 hours for other sectors). After an intense diplomatic offensive, the government reportedly won several key allies for its plan, including France and Portugal.  (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 26) R.M.