Timeline reconsidered?

Prime Minister Donald Tusk may consider pushing Poland's euro adoption target past 2012, as his government faces an uphill battle to convince the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party that the country is ready for the currency. He maintained that, despite PiS's opposition, he did not want to scrap the project and would continue working towards the 2012 date.

"We want to discuss the [euro zone entry] date," Tusk told Parliament during a speech marking the anniversary of his government's first year in office. "I'm not a doctrinaire, but let's not scrap the whole project," he said. In a later interview with journalists, the prime minister said, "We will be persuading all deputies, on an individual basis, and their party leaders, to help us in this process."

The PM maintained the importance of the plan in light of the financial crisis, as it would help stabilize the Polish economy. But PiS head Jarosław Kaczyński has argued that early adoption would harm the Polish economy. "You won't convince us that Poland needs to adopt the euro in this time of crisis, because this is a policy … against investment and fast growth," he said.

PM Tusk has the backing of the central bank's Monetary Policy Council members on regarding the adoption timeline, but he needs PiS's cooperation to change Poland's Constitution, a crucial step for euro adoption. If a referendum on the issue were called, the backing of the people would be necessary too. According to a poll conducted for Polityka weekly, 34 percent of Poles are opposed to ever joining the common currency, while 37 percent want to join, but not just yet. Only 20 percent would swap the złoty for the common currency as soon as possible.

PiS backs a referendum, but under Polish law the results would only be binding on a turnout of more than 50 percent, a prospect which political analysts see as unlikely.