ZUS improves premium collection to 98.3%, thanks to hard work

The Social Insurance Company (ZUS) recorded a better than anticipated premium collection rate of some 98.3% in 2000, a sign that ZUS is coming out of its 1999 doldrums, said managing board member Ireneusz Fafara. The Social Insurance Fund (FUS) collected zl.11 billion more than in 1999 and the Health Insurance Fund (FUZ) zl.8 billion more. Yesterday's ZUS press conference was also the scene of a clash between ZUS head Leslaw Gajek who wanted to dismiss his deputy, Adam Kapica, and the managing board who was reluctant to agree. It was rumored earlier that Gajek's tough stand on the issue could cost him his job. However, yesterday he said: "I did not come here for the prestige of this post. I work seventeen hours a day and if there are any signs of improvement, it's a result of hard work of many people, for which they get very little money." He went on to complain about what he called "scandalous" salaries of ZUS managing board members, who are in charge of enormous amounts of money and themselves get zl.6000-7000 a month. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p.11, Puls Biznesu, p.5) T.J.