Poland to hold referendum on euro-zone accession in 2010: president

Polish President Lech Kaczynski said Poland would hold a referendum in 2010 on whether to join the 12-member euro zone, Polish media reported on Monday.

Poland was not yet ready to join the organization as the euro was still in an experimental phase, Kaczynski was quoted as saying.

A referendum was necessary because access to the euro area might hurt the nation's sovereignty, the president added. Kaczynski will end his term as president in 2010.

Among the 10 new EU nations, Poland is the only one which has not set up a schedule for when to join the euro zone.

Poland is afraid that entry to the euro zone might lead to a weakening of its economic growth once it loses its independent currency.

Source: Xinhua