Polish debt ‘under control’

Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka said the country’s public debt will not exceed 55% of gross domestic product this year or in 2005, while Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner forecast it would remain at 2003 levels.

“It is possible that the ratio will be very close to that of 2003, when it was 51.6%,” said Mr Hausner at a conference in Warsaw.

Mr Hausner said the economy in the 10 States that joined the European Union in May would continue to expand, after expanding 6.9% in the first quarter of 2004 and 6.1% in the second quarter.