PiS gives ultimatum to other parties: Support us or get fresh elections

The leader of Law and Justice (PiS), Jarosław Kaczyński, called a press conference yesterday during which he presented a letter he has sent to all parliamentary parties with the exception of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD). The letter was a proposition to sign a "stabilization pact" for a period of six months. Kaczyński expects the Civic Platform (PO), Self-Defense, the League of Polish Families (LPR), and the Peasants' Party (PSL) to support the budget bill without any amendments increasing state expenditures, not to submit any votes of no confidence for Ministers of the government of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, and to support several other bills which are significant for PiS. In the meantime PiS will be conducting talks concerning the formation of a ruling coalition. "If the parties do not accept the offer, right after February 1 President Lech Kaczyński will dissolve the Sejm," announced Jarosław Kaczyński. PO and Self-Defense have already unofficially rejected this plan, however PSL and LPR would be glad to support it. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) A.K.