President Aleksander Kwasniewski refused the resignation of Prime Minister Marek Belka on Friday, The Associated Press reported. Belka offered his resignation to Kwasniewski in fulfillment of a promise to head a caretaker government for only one year. But the president exercised his right to keep Belka at the helm for several more months, saying that trying to forge a new government with elections so near would create unnecessary complications. He reaffirmed that the ballot would fall according to a constitution-dictated schedule on a Sunday between Sept. 25 and Oct. 16. He said he will announce the exact date by July 21.
