Polish PM says government reshuffle possible this year

Reuters/Warsaw

Poland’s Prime Minister, under pressure over the country’s economic slowdown, said yesterday that he did not rule out a government reshuffle in the summer of 2013 and that a debate on joining the eurozone should start in the spring.

Support for the Polish government has been fairly stable over the past five years, but the slowdown and rising unemployment have recently started to weigh on its backing, leading to speculation about possible changes in the cabinet.

“I do not rule out changes in the middle of my term. So, a serious change is possible in the summer,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on his Twitter account.

Poland is the only European Union economy that has avoided recession since the start of the global financial crisis in 2008, but the ongoing problems in the eurozone – the country’s main trading partner – have started to take their toll.

Analysts expect the economy to slow to growth of 1.7% next year – higher than its European neighbours but far lower than the economy has been growing in recent years.

Asked about adopting the euro, the prime minister said that a debate on a possible date should start in the spring.

In mid-December, Tusk said Poland could not risk being on the European Union periphery by not joining the euro.

Several officials have said Poland could adopt the common currency in 2016-2017 at the earliest.