Several items in the press this past week suggest that a pending reform is set to miss its mark and gives an opportunity to press a familiar call for changes to pension saving rules. The market regulator reports that voluntary pension savings accounts, IKEs, are falling out of favor. Not only are Poles not opening new accounts, they are liquidating some existing accounts despite the penalties. What is more, Poles with accounts are making smaller annual contributions: PLN 1719 in 2007 and below that level to date in 2008, versus an annual contribution cap at PLN 4055 for the year. Only 876k Poles have accounts.  >>

I stand by what I wrote in "Old School - New School." Not that then-deputy Finance Minister Gomulka doesn't fit the government. Too easy (he was later canned). >>