Poland, with a banking system 70 percent controlled by foreign lenders, has seen a spate of deals in recent years as some parent institutions under pressure to boost capital sold their holdings.

"It is not about taking something from somebody. But if somebody is not successful, take them over," Belka said in an interview in Gazeta Wyborcza daily, adding that he advocated banks seizing the opportunity "in a smart and intelligent way".

Earlier this year Poland's largest lender PKO BP (>> PKO Bank Polski SA) announced a takeover of Nordea Bank Polska (>> Nordea Bank Polska SA) valued at 2.83 billion zlotys ($907.31 million).

In recent years, Commerzbank's (>> Commerzbank AG) BRE Bank (>> BRE Bank SA), millennium BCP's (>> B. COM. PORTUGUES) Bank Millennium (>> Bank Millennium SA), and Bank Pekao (>> Bank Pekao SA) have all been tipped as being potentially up for sale.

Poland's financial sector supervisor said in June that foreign banks are not targeting any Polish lenders at the moment as there is little space for further consolidation.

Belka also repeated his stance that Poland should not hurry in entering the euro zone.

"Looking at it as an economist, especially as the head of the central bank I would refrain from entering," he said.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; editing by David Evans)