Posted on 09/27/2005 7:24:02 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
KAZIMIERZ Marcinkiewicz, poised to become Poland's next prime minister after being nominated by his conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party today, is a mathematician and economics expert.
Born in the southern town of Chorzow, Mr Marcinkiewicz began his working life as a teacher after studying mathematics and physics at the University of Wroclaw in south-western Poland.
He went on from there to work as a school administrator, and was eventually named deputy education minister, a post he held from 1992-1993.
A member of the Solidarity trade union in the 1980s, his links with Poland's Catholic conservatives has been a hallmark of his political career, one of the previous highlights of which came when he was head of the office of prime minister Jerzy Buzek from 1999 to 2000.
A member of parliament for 12 years, Mr Marcinkiewicz has authored several books. One of them is entitled How To Be Honest and Work In Politics.
In the outgoing parliament - in which the ruling Democratic Left Alliance was accused of being embroiled in all kinds of corruption scandals - the 46-year-old father of four headed the treasury commission, which oversees privatisations.
Even before the final election result was known today, PiS and second placed election finisher, the liberal Civic Platform, had said they would form a coalition and work to root out corruption in Polish politics, reform the economy and streamline the state.
"We face a huge task in reforming the state," Mr Marcinkiewicz said after being named PiS's candidate for prime minister.
He also acknowledged that the two coalition partners did not always see eye to eye on economic issues.
He has come out against PO's proposed across-the-board 15 per cent tax rate, preferring instead PiS's program to simplify the tax system.
"I am convinced that the tax program we presented - rates of 32 per cent and 18 per cent, and unchanged VAT - can be introduced together with benefits for families with children and employment-oriented moves," said Mr Marcinkiewicz on Polish radio yesterday.
He has also announced the next government's intention of trimming the fat from public institutions and amending the 2006 budget, passed today by Poland's outgoing left-wing government.
Mr Marcinkiewicz slammed the budget as "a budget of stagnation".
"We want a budget of development," he said.
PiS leader Mr Kaczynski has described Mr Marcinkiewicz as being "well placed to resolve Poland's economic problems" and as being held "in high esteem in business circles".
Mr Marcinkiewicz's candidacy has to be validated by President Aleksander Kwasniewski.
a mathematician and economics expert.
Gee I just read about how the Poles use mathematicans to break the German Enigma code prior to WW 2. Any idea why this country produces so many math whizes?
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