Deputy prime minister Waldemar Pawlak (right) has criticised the alliance between the ruling Civic Platform (PO) party and opposition SLD, which voted through the nomination of Marek Belka as governor of the National Bank of Poland on Thursday.

Pawlak’s Polish Peasant’s Party (PSL) - the junior coalition partner - had opposed Bronislaw Komorowski, the acting president until the June 20 elections, nominating Belka, saying that such crucial decisions can only be taken by an elected head of state.

“In a few more days, there will be nothing left for the president to do [after the election],” Pawlak said, Friday morning, in another sign of growing tensions within the ruling coalition.

Pawlak, who is a candidate in the presidential elections this month, recalled the opinion of constitutional expert Prof. Piotr Winczorek, in which he stated that an acting president, such as Komorowski currently is after the death of Lech Kaczynski in the Smolensk air crash, should only take decisions which would have a temporary nature.

The decision to nominate and then vote through Marek Belka to lead the NBP for a six year term is anything but temporary, said Pawlak.

Coalition speculation

The deputy prime minister also warned that such a voting alliance in parliament between Civic Platform and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) could “end badly for both parties.”

Pawlak was reacting to remarks made by prominent Civic Platform politician Janusz Palikot, who, noting widening cracks in the current governing coalition, told the TOK FM radio station that after the presidential elections a coalition between Civic Platform and the SLD could be a reality, taking the government to a full term ending in 2011.

If, on the other hand, Law and Justice’s Jaroslaw Kaczynski wins the election for presidential palace then it was not inconceivable, said Palikot, that a coalition between a disgruntled Polish Peasant’s Party, Law and Justice and SLD could be formed. If so then “Waldemar Pawlak‘s name would immediately be proposed for a third term as PM,” Pawlak said, referring to the fact that he has been prime minister before on two different occasions. (pg)

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