Politicians heed the call of business

Leaders of political parties met with representatives of trade unions and entrepreneurs to discuss Poland's so-called social dialogue and to hammer out a social contract on the most burning issues in the Polish economy and social life. Such agreements between trade unions, business circles and the government were completed in Spain and Ireland, and helped the two countries experience an economic boom.

"I'll be engaged in this dialog, I will be engaged in the issue of preparing the new social contract," Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński promised after the meeting, in which all but one of the leaders of the parties present in the Sejm took part.

Surprisingly, it was Civic Platform's boss Donald Tusk who was absent. "We sent out an invitation, he didn't come and didn't send any explanation or excuse," the president of the Confederation of Polish Employers (KPP) Andrzej Malinowski said.

The trade-union and business-organisation leaders had invited politicians to the dialogue on the social contract earlier last week.

"The social contract is essential to overcome challenges, but we need the help of the government," the president of Business Center Club (BCC) Marek Goliszewski said. He complained that the government's interest in the work of the Trilateral Commission (trade unions, entrepreneurs and government) is limited to declarations.

"For months we couldn't meet the Finance Minister to talk about the budget," he said. The president of the Polish Confederation of Private Employers (PKPP) Lewiatan Henryka Bochniarz said that issues such as the budget and reforming public finances should be excluded from rows between political parties.

When asked if he isn't afraid that Prime Minister's declaration was an empty promise, Malinowski said: "A Polish entrepreneur has to be optimistic. There are ways, like the media for instance, to remind the politicians of their promises if they forget about them."