Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Polish prime minister, has fired his interior minister, citing suspicions that he leaked information that hindered a corruption investigation.
The sacking of Janusz Kaczmarek is the latest episode in a deepening political crisis centred on the country's agriculture ministry.
Kaczynski said he was forced to fire Kaczmarek because he was suspected of leaking classified information, which had obstructed an investigation of alleged bribery at the ministry.
He said Wladyslaw Stasiak, head of the president's national security council, would replace Kaczmarek.
Land scandal
The investigation into alleged wrongdoing at the ministry resulted in the sacking last month of Andrzej Lepper, the former agriculture minister, who also heads one of the junior partners in the coalition government.
The scandal involves the suspected payment of bribes to redesignate agricultural land for commercial use.
The prime minister and his twin brother, Lech Kaczynski, the country's president, have said that they believe early elections could be a way out of the crisis, but so far have stopped short of calling for them.
The next regular elections are set for 2009.