Warsaw  - Polish President Lech Kaczynski said it was "impossible" for Poland to adopt the euro by 2011, warning that the financial strictures needed for the changeover would bring economic hardship on large segments of the population.

"I think the year 2011 is a pointless question," he said on Tuesday, "because it's obvious even now that's a completely unrealistic date."

Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently announced 2011 as a target date for Poland's entry into the eurozone amid doubts that Warsaw could maintain the strict economic criteria to join the 15-nation currency group.

The bold announcement was the most concrete promise of joining the eurozone since Tusk took office in November, but has drawn criticism from the president and other conservative Euro-skeptics from the Law and Justice party.

Tusk called the deadline "difficult but possible," and said a recently-drafted budget - which cuts the country's deficit nearly by half - would lend the plan credibility following long-time criticism by the EU of Poland's deficit.

Kaczynski said entry by 2011 or 2012 would mean the "impoverishment of a very significant part" of Polish society. He added Poland's entry into the eurozone is closely tied to what will happen in the wake of the US financial crisis, and that nobody could say when the best time to join the currency would be.

In lashing out at the plan, Kaczynski said Tuesday that he wondered if Tusk made the euro announcement to "divert attention away from other problems." (dpa)