Polish support for EU wavers

Warsaw is worried EU entry terms may not benefit the rural population

WARSAW, Poland -- Support in Poland for joining the European Union fell in June to 57 percent from 60 percent, an opinion poll published by the Rzeczpospolita daily showed on Saturday.

The reduced level of support comes at a time of tensions between candidate countries and the EU over the timetable for final-stage talks and the fears of some the country may be offered "second class" membership.

Poland, one of 10 mostly ex-communist countries trying to join the wealthy western bloc in 2004, is entering the last phase of entry negotiations, which it wants sealed by December.

The June 8-9 survey was conducted before this week's warning by Poland and the Czech Republic that they would rather let the EU entry timetable slip than accept unfavourable terms.

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Analysts say it reflected fears among Polish voters who suspect they are being offered second-class membership terms and that Poland may be forced into last-minute decisions that would be seen as disadvantageous to the country's vast rural electorate.

Support for EU membership fell by nearly a quarter in Poland's rural areas to 40 percent in June from 49 percent, the Rzeczpospolita survey showed.

Poland plans to hold a membership referendum in 2003. The Rzeczpospolita survey, conducted by Pracownia Badan Spolecznych, showed 76 percent of Poles planned to vote, up from 73 percent in April.

PBS polled a group of 1,035 adult Poles.

Last week's opposition protests failed to ruffle PM Leszek Miller

Last week a mass protest called by the opposition against poverty and unemployment in Poland failed to get off the ground.

Small groups of activists did join demonstrations across the country but in nowhere near the numbers opposition leader Andrzej Lepper and his Self-Defence party had hoped for.

On the eve of the protest Lepper, whose party ranks second behind Prime Minister Leszek Miller's reformed communists, predicted: "This is just the beginning of a wave of protests which should bring us to our goal of taking power in Poland."

Police spokesman Pawel Biedziak told Reuters: "The protests were a complete flop. We normally have more trouble on match day in the football league."