Students launch nationwide protest against reduction in travel discount

Tens of thousands of students all over Poland yesterday took to the streets in protest against the government's plan to reduce student discounts for coach and train travel from the current 50%, to 37%. More than a thousand students gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office in Warsaw, while voivodeship offices in other cities were surrounded. The students, who carried banners bearing slogans such as "Belka by Lancia, students on foot", demanded a meeting with the author of the plan, Finance Minister Marek Belka. Although members of the Independent Students Union (NZS) succeeding in meeting with Sejm speaker Marek Borowski, afterwards they expressed disappointment with the talks. The next round of protests is scheduled to take place on Friday. (Zycie, p. 4; Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) A.Z.