MPs are debating changes in Poland’s constitution, including making provisions enabling the adoption of the European single currency.

The changes to the constitution, as proposed by President Bronislaw Komorowski would dovetail Poland’s law to EU norms and principles, while ensuring the supremacy of the Polish law over international regulations.  

The package includes regulations which will come in force after Poland joins the euro zone and speak, among other things, of a re-organization of the National Bank of Poland and the scrapping of the interest rate setting Monetary Policy Council.

Earlier today, President Komorowski met with parliamentary party leaders.

Leader of the ruling Civic Platform (PO) parliamentary group Tomasz Tomczykiewicz says the changes should be adopted before the end of the current parliamentary term.

“All [parliamentary party heads] agree that this is an important presidential initiative, which they will study closely,” he told Polish Radio. “There will surely be some minor amendments but generally all parties want this work to continue and to include rules on relations between Poland and the EU in the Constitution.”

The Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) leader Grzegorz Napieralski also welcomed the proposed changes to the constitution.

“I believe that we should prepare a legal and political framework, because changing this later with haste is the worst thing that could happen and is unnecessary.”

Law and Justice (PiS) parliamentary party leader Mariusz Blaszczak recalled that his party came up with its own draft bill and criticized the president for concentrating on the adoption of the euro in Poland, which he claims have weakened economies, not strengthened them.

“Experience has taught us that countries which entered the so-called European Currency Snake [a stage which proceeded the introduction of the ERM and eventual adoption of the euro] have been much harder hit by the crisis than countries which are outside the euro zone,” he said. (kk/pg)