Miller moves quickly to end speculation over health care, education charges

Prime Minister Leszek Miller yesterday moved to quash speculation that his Cabinet was planning to introduce charges for health care and education. Finance Minister Marek Belka had earlier issued a statement, following an informal Cabinet meeting on Saturday in Klarysewo near Warsaw, in which he did not rule out the possibility of fees being introduced for some social services. Miller was quoted by Gazeta Wyborcza as saying, "Indeed, during the meeting such an idea was put forward. But it was judged to be unconstructive and improper." Stressing his point, Miller explained that imposing such fees would be in violation of the Constitution. He also insisted that as a social democratic party the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) believes that not everything is a commodity. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 3) P.J.