Prime Minister Leszek Miller has announced that local elections in Poland will be held on October 27, the local media reported. "Local elections are an opportunity for winning something more than only local power. They are an opportunity for positive activity for local communities," Miller said in a televised address.

Poles will elect 46,835 councillors of commune, district, and provincial councils, as well as 2,489 administrators, commune heads (wojt), town mayors (burmistrz), and city mayors (prezydent miasta). If a candidate for an administrative post does not receive more than 50% of the vote on October 27, then the two highest-placed candidates will take part in a run-off ballot two weeks later.

(NewsBase 26.viii.02)