SLD may offer concessions in order to achieve Poland's EU entry by 2004

The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) has promised to revise the current government's negotiating strategy, and said it would probably offer concessions so Poland can join the European Union (EU) by 2004. Jozef Oleksy, the party's European integration spokesman, reiterated pledges that the SLD would not shy away from tough austerity reforms needed to avert a financial crisis that could derail Poland's quick EU entry. "The SLD government will do all it can to win EU membership by 2004, which is the earliest enlargement date," Oleksy told Reuters in an interview. "Poland has a lot of catching up to do. Our good contacts with social democrats in power in most EU countries should be helpful," he went on. Poland is lagging behind most of the other 12 EU applicants, partly because of its tough stance on issues such as free labor movement and land sales. Oleksy repeated other Eastern European diplomats' forecasts that last week's attacks in the United States could prompt the EU to speed up its expansion. However, such hopes have been described as wishful thinking by EU diplomats. European Commission (EC) spokesman Jean-Christophe Filori is quoted as saying, "There can be no relaxation of the accession criteria." (Reuters)