President and political parties at loggerheads on future of Constitution

The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) working group appointed to draft possible amendments to the Constitution is to begin its work at the next parlia mentary session, even though President Aleksander Kwasniewski recently spoke out against such notions. During Friday's commemoration of Poland's first constitution of May 3, 1791, Kwasniewski warned against hasty changes to the Constitution, which came into force just five years ago. However, political parties have already drawn up an agenda of amendments. The SLD wants to abolish the upper house of Parliament, the Senate, with the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) and the peasant trade union Samoobrona supporting this proposal. The PSL and the Labor Union (UP) also want to change the regulations r egarding the Monetary Policy Council. Amendments to the Constitution need to be approved by two-thirds of deputies and a majority deputies in the Senate. (Zycie, May 4-5, p. 5)