Shadow boxing

Agriculture Minister Andrzej Lepper has made public a host of his demands to the Prime Minister in recent weeks.

Last week, he demanded that the head of the agriculture commission, Wojciech Mojzesowicz from Law and Justice (PiS), be dismissed, and announced that Self-Defense was planning to issue a motion to oust him. Mojzesowicz earlier criticized Lepper for his populist behavior, after the Minister visited flood victims in Lower Silesia and handed out zł.100,000 in cash to them.

Apart from being generous, Lepper is also keen to appear a tough and effective politician. He demanded Deputy Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz be dismissed if there was no evidence that his accusations against the former Foreign Minsters were true.

"The Eastern market [for Polish agricultural products] could be opened next month. I'm in talks with Russia, which is willing to open its market, and then somebody announces that most Foreign Ministers were Soviet agents. This is a serious issue," Lepper told journalists.

Lepper threatened to use his most familiar weapon of choice - pulling out of the coalition, and triggering early elections. However, after Macierewicz issued a veiled apology and said he had used a "mental shortcut," Lepper announced that for him the issue was closed.

Now Lepper is on the offensive over the government's draft budget, and is insisting on increasing expenditures to include an additional zł.4 billion for agriculture, almost zł.3.7 billion for social assistance, zł.2 billion for the health service and zł.1.66 billion for education. The Finance Minister has rejected these demands, and Lepper has hinted that early election will be the best option. Whether he will play the hand after making his bluff remains to be seen.