POLISH PM PRESSES FOR JUNE ELECTIONS, DEFERS

UNCLAS WARSAW 001204

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PL
SUBJECT: POLISH PM PRESSES FOR JUNE ELECTIONS, DEFERS
ANNOUNCEMENT ON OWN FUTURE

REF: WARSAW 1126


1. (SBU) In a much-anticipated address March 3, Polish Prime
Minister Marek Belka underscored his determination to seek
the dissolution of parliament May 5, clearing the way for new
elections June 19, but said that he would not decide on his
own political future (i.e., whether to abandon the governing
SLD for the nascent Democratic Party, or PD) until after the
vote on dissolution. Following his address, Freedom Union
(UW) leader and PD founding member Wladyslaw Frasyniuk
announced that he is now convinced that Belka will join PD,
despite the lack of a clear statement from the prime
minister. Belka also stated that the Polish referendum on
the EU constitution should be held together with the first
round of presidential elections September 26.


2. (SBU) Although Belka did not -- as some expected he would
-- spell out his political plans, he did make clear that his
sympathies are with the new centrist party. Belka explained
that he was not surprised that PD organizers had invited him
to join them, maintaining that he has tried throughout his
own government's tenure to implement a program very close to
that advocated by the PD founders. The prime minister
praised PD for defending and being proud of what has been
achieved in the past fifteen years, drawing a sharp contrast
with the pessimistic vision of those on the right who argue
for sweeping reforms.


3. (SBU) Belka argued forcefully that the parliament's term
must be shortened, drawing attention to the already-heated
political climate (he made his remarks immediately after
participating in a boisterous parliamentary debate of a
non-binding measure calling for his resignation) and its
effect on the government's ability to advance its legislative
agenda. He pledged to do everything he could to ensure that
the parliament votes to dissolve itself on May 5. President
Kwasniewski afterwards endorsed both the June parliamentary
date and the proposal to hold the EU referendum together with
the presidential vote.


4. (SBU) Comment: Belka's caution regarding his own
intentions was to be expected, as he neither wants to provoke
a reaction from the SLD, nor does he need to do more now than
signal that he is disassociating himself from the governing
party and lending moral support to this new centrist
formation.
ASHE