Poland cannot rule out delaying presidential election: minister

WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland cannot rule out postponing a presidential election set for May because of the coronavirus pandemic, although no such decisions have been taken up to date, Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Pawel Szefernaker said on Saturday.

“The election is in two months. We will see. The coming days will be key and as this disease develops in Poland we will be observing this and taking further decisions. There is not such a decision today, but it does not mean that it is ruled out,” Szefernaker told private radio RMF FM.

Poland has reported 84 cases of coronavirus, including two deaths.

The government announced on Friday it would close borders to foreigners and the central bank governor called for a rate cut to fight the impact of the illness on the economy.

“Today no-one is thinking about the election, everyone is thinking how to stop this epidemic,” Szefernaker added.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; Editing by Frances Kerry)

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