Poland urges to speed up privatisation

The pace of the privatisation effort in Poland should be stepped up, Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner told a meeting of business leaders. "I am in favor of acclerating privatization decisions and I am going to encourage the treasury minister to take such decisions," he said in remarks carried by the PAP news agency. Treasury Minister Piotr Czyzewski said last week his department hoped to receive seven billion zlotys (1.6 billion euros, 1.87 billion dollars) from privatizations next year. But the draft budget for 2004 prepared by Finance Minister Grzegorz Kolodko calls for 11.9 billion zlotys to be earned through privatizations. The 2003 budget foresees the receipt of nine billion zlotys from privatisations, although only 1.45 billion had been taken in by the end of May.