Poland moves closer to euro adoption plebiscite

By Gabriela Baczynska and Kuba Jaworowski

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland moved closer to a referendum on the government's plan to adopt the euro on Tuesday as the opposition made clear it would not back necessary constitutional changes in parliament.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that should a last minute compromise with the opposition not be reached a referendum could take place in spring 2009.

"If that party (Law and Justice) insists that a referendum should decide (the issue), I think it should take place in the spring of next year," Tusk told Polityka weekly made available to Reuters ahead of the interview's publication on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, President Lech Kaczynski, allied with the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, called for the plebiscite on the timing of the euro, saying the government's plan to adopt the single currency in 2011-2012 was premature.

"I consider euro adoption in 2011 or 2012 as very premature," Kaczynski told a televised news conference in the town of Elblag in northern Poland.

"Nobody can say what is the optimal date (for introducing the euro)... That must be the subject of a referendum," he said.

Before adopting the common currency, the government must also change Poland's constitution, a politically difficult task as it requires the support of the main opposition Law and Justice party (PiS), led by Kaczynski's twin brother Jaroslaw.

PiS has already said it is opposed to any early introduction of the euro in Poland.