Monetary Policy
This year brought a change in the operational target of Polish monetary policy. Instead of stabilizing shortterm interest rates, the target became controlling the growth in reserve money stock. Since it is impossible to control
the money supply and the interest rates simultaneously the latter were allowed to move in accordance with the free
play of supply and demand on the money market. In other words, interest rate policies were subordinated to the
objective of controlling the supply of reserve money stocks and money supply in general. This approach leads to
greater volatility in market rates.
The NBP lowered its base lending rates two times; in January and July. The decision to cut official lending
rates in January was taken in response to rising foreign demand for Polish Treasury bills which was swelling the
money supply. The decision was also influenced by the fact that the inflation had been falling systematically in the
last quarter of 1995, and a further drop was expected in 1996.
This year was the first full year under the uniform exchange regime introduced in May 1995. The exchange
rate for the zloty was set on the interbank (FX) market within a 14 per cent band of permissible divergence from
parity. At the same time, the crawling devaluation of the central reference rate continued. On January 8, 1996 the
average monthly devaluation of the parity rate against Poland’s reference basket of currencies was lowered from
around 1.2 per cent to 1.0 per cent.