(Adds deputy finance minister statement, detail)
WARSAW, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Poland's government approved an updated euro convergence programme on Tuesday that keeps the ambitious target to adopt the common currency in 2012.
The so-called convergence path forecasts economic indicators through 2011, expecting the European Union's largest ex-communist economy to satisfy all required criteria in 2011.
"In line with the approved schedule, with no risk factors, a conversion of the zloty into the European currency should be possible on Jan.1 2012," a government statement said.
However, the global financial crisis will take its toll on Poland's preparations, with the general government deficit falling slower than previously expected, Deputy Finance Minister Katarzyna Zajdel-Kurowska said.
The updated convergence programme sees the general government deficit at 1.9 percent of GDP in 2011, above the earlier forecast of 1 percent deficit.
Economic growth is also expected to be slower than previously believed with expansion seen at 3.7 percent in 2009 and 4.5 percent in 2011.
For a more complete list of the economic forecasts included in the updated convergence plan please click [ID:nLU80815]
Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski was quoted as saying last month that Poland may be forced to delay its euro adoption if the global financial turmoil persisted beyond spring 2009. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska and Patryk Wasilewski, editing by Mike Peacock)