Private rail carriers call PKP restructuring law illegal

Private rail carriers are appealing to President Aleksander Kwasniewski to reject the draft legislation on the restructuring and privatization of Polish State Railways (PKP), saying it does not comply with the Constitution and European Union (EU) law. Specifically, the Railway Business Forum says the law is unconstitutional because it would strip 21 licensed private rail carriers of licenses they obtained in 1997. Zdzislaw Denysiuk, head of the Sejm sub-commission working on the PKP law, says the introduction of the law only means that private carriers would have to re-apply to the Transport Ministry for licenses. "There is no reason why the President should not sign this bill. This is a good bill, as it solves many PKP problems, such as those concerning its debts," said Denysiuk. He said he expects Sejm to send the bill to the President on Sept. 8. (Puls Biznesu, page 4)