Former European Commissioner and MEP Danuta Huebner has told Polish Radio that it vital for Poland to enter the euro zone “as soon as possible”.

The former European Commissioner for Regional Policy underlined that the country should concentrate on fulfilling conditions in the so-called Growth and Stability pact so as to be able to join the euro zone and eventually adopt the single currency.

Danuta Huebner warned that leaving Poland outside the euro zone may not be beneficial for the nation.

“There might arise certain phenomena not beneficial for Poland if this country does not concentrate on fulfilling the requirements. The government is concentrating on finding a place for non-euro zone countries in the euro zone, but this is not good enough .Poland should enter the euro zone as soon as possible. “

Prime ministers and presidents from the 17 euro zone nations will be in Brussels on 11 March for a summit on deeper economic integration and competitiveness. Poland thinks that it and other non-euro zone states should be in on the discussions.

"We want to share ownership of the discussion of member states on how to make the EU more competitive," minister for EU affairs, Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, told EUobserver.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that the target of reducing Poland’s deficit to under three percent by  - a condition of joining the euro zone – in 2012 may be difficult to achieve. This contradicts earlier statements by Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski that the target could be achieved on time.

The government has raised VAT and made some cuts in public spending to reduce the deficit but many economists, such as former president of the National Bank of Poland, Leszek Balcerowicz have said that the government is not fully facing up to the scale of the problem in fear of having to make unpopular cuts in services and jobs and so losing voters during this years general election. (pg/ab)