NBP and UOKiK: no big EU-entry price jump

The institutions believe that price hikes will be dampened by greater competition and liberalization of some sectors, such as telecommunications and air transport. According to their report, prices of some 52% of goods and services purchased by households would not change, 33% of them should become cheaper, while 15% would go up in price. "Claims of a rapid price increase after May 1 are demagogy," said NBP governor Leszek Balcerowicz. UOKiK, assisted by the media, will keep an eye out for possible attempts to use accession as an excuse for unjustified price increases. (Rzeczpospolita, March. 27-28, p. B2) T.J.