Prime Minister suspends Warsaw Centrum council, UW could leave coalition

Late on Wednesday night Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek made the controversial decision to suspend the council of Warsaw Centrum, Poland's largest gmina, and appoint Andrzej Herman as an emergency administrator. Solidarity Election Action (AWS) politicians who persuaded Buzek to make the decision claim it is necessary as the gmina Centrum council is not functioning well due to futile political haggling. The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Freedom Union (UW), members of the ruling coalition in gmina Centrum, lashed out at the decision, claiming this is the only way AWS can gain control of the lucrative municipality. "In my opinion this was a very bad thing and a very bad precedent was created. State authority has been used without any clear justification," said UW leader Leszek Balcerowicz. SLD head Leszek Miller agreed, "Prime Minister Buzek has made an attempt on the government of gmina Centrum and he should face the consequences of this attempt. I mean of course constitutional liability before the State Tribunal." UW is now pondering leaving the AWS-UW coalition and the government. However, a decision in this matter is not likely to be made until the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) rules on the legality of Buzek's decision. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 8, Reuters) T.J.