Berlin - Poland's centre-right government has collapsed following weeks of wrangling between the Solidarity-led AWS and the neo-liberal Freedom Union, leaving the Prime Minister, Mr Jerzy Buzek, to soldier on at the head of a minority government, writes Denis Staunton. The Freedom Union, led by the outgoing Finance Minister, Mr Leszek Balcerowicz, withdrew from talks to save the coalition following a disagreement about next year's budget.
Mr Balcerowicz wanted to cut public spending and keep the budget deficit below 1.5 per cent in an attempt to prevent Poland's economy overheating. The government's collapse casts doubt on how soon Poland will adopt legislation essential for entry to the EU, which Warsaw wants to join in 2003.