GSTAAD: Workers ploughed snow away from ROMAN POLANSKI's Alpine chalet yesterday, as Swiss authorities worked with the director's lawyers to meet the conditions of his $4.5 million (BD1.7m) bail and house arrest.

The Justice Ministry wouldn't say when he would be released from jail. Spokesman FOLCO GALLI said there were outstanding requirements from last week's court decision that granted Polanski permission to live in the luxury resort of Gstaad if he wears an electronic monitoring bracelet.

"If the conditions were met, he would be in Gstaad," Galli said.

It was not clear if Polanski was struggling to meet the bail. His Paris lawyer HERVE TEMIME declined to comment.

The 76-year-old is believed to be held in Winterthur jail, near Zurich, where his Swiss attorney LORENZ ERNI met him.

Polanski will be confined to his resort as Switzerland decides whether to extradite him to the US for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

He will be allowed to host parties in the garden. No police protection will be provided. An alarm would be set off if he leaves the property, but he will be able to go outside to check the mail. He will also be able to telephone, send e-mails and work on his films. Phone conversations will not be monitored.

Polanski was arrested on September 26 on a US warrant as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award at a film festival.