Poland will seek chance to "re-polonize" banks

Poland seeking chance to arrange re-polonization of foreign held bank assets - deputy PM Poland will keep its eye on the "natural market space" to shift bank ownership to Polish hands if foreign banking groups are forced to sell their operations in Poland, deputy PM and Development Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told PAP "We will watch the situation," Morawiecki said of potential banking market reshuffling that could result from foreign banking groups selling their units, creating "natural, market space" for "domestication of banks." Poland will "pay close attention to market signals in order to safeguard the stability of the Polish banking sector, the ability to finance economic development and Poles' deposits," Morawiecki said. The comments follow last week's bank stress-tests by the European Banking Authority, which have shown that some European financial groups have to implement important reforms and strengthen their capital base, Morawiecki said. The tests have shown a limited risk of European financial system destabilization, which arouses hope for maintenance of euro zone economic growth, according to Morawiecki.