PO and PiS finally sign a deal to cooperate against SLD and Self-defense

The Civic Platform (PO) and Law and Justice (PiS) parties yesterday signed a local government election coalition agreement. In 15 provinces the two parties will field joint candidates, and hope to secure about a quarter of all votes. They also agreed that following the elections neither party would enter into a ruling coalition with the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) or the controversial Self-defense (Samoobrona), even in districts where PO and PiS will compete individually. SLD secretary general, Marek Dyduch said that the PO-PiS coalition is now the left's largest opponent in the approaching elections. Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the disappearance of the Self-defense leader Andrzej Lepper ended when he appeared at the funeral of Ryszard Hojarski, husband of Self-defense deputy Danuta Hojarska. According to Rzeczpospolita, Self-defense deputies have since Monday been fueling rumors about threats made against their leader. Lepper explained he was hiding at an acquaintance's apartment in Warsaw's Mokotow district due to the numerous threats he had received. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3; Zycie, p. 6) M.T.K