Poland's entry to EURO zone dependant on global economy

Photo: Poland's entry to EURO zone dependant on global economy

Poland's new finance minister gave no exact date for the entry to the euro zone, saying, it depends on the global economy.

Jacek Rostowski said at a news conference that the government wants to meet the euro entry criteria in a "few years," but that when Poland starts using the euro "will depend on external factors."

"Safe entry to the euro zone also depends on world economic conditions, whether they are stable or turbulent," Rostowski said.

He added that he believes euro adoption would be possible in the next parliament's term - due to start four years from now, in late 2011.

New Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged in his inaugural address Friday to put Poland on course to replace the zloty with the euro "as soon as possible," but gave no date.

Tusk's European Union-friendly and pro-market Civic Platform party won elections Oct. 21 and took office earlier this month in coalition with the small centrist Polish People's Party.

Tusk has stressed the need to adopt the euro without causing too much pain or disruption to Poles.

Poland is by far the largest of the Eastern European countries that have joined the EU in recent years. Only one of them, Slovenia, has adopted the euro so far.