A little help from EU friends

The city of Warsaw's is planning several projects to improve the city's infrastructure with the help of EU funding. While the projects should make Varsovians' lives better, they should also help Poland meet some of its EU requirements.

Under the first proposal, the city plans to modernize the Czajka sewage-treatment plant in Białołęka. While the project is vital to maintain the quality of Warsaw's water supply, as well as help clean up the Vistula River, it also has a significant impact on Poland's standing in the EU.

Crucial development

"Warsaw gained very special attention during Poland's European Union accession negotiations in the field of sewage-economy policies," said Leszek Drogosz, director of the Infrastructure Bureau of the City of Warsaw. "It was established that once Warsaw's projects are finished, Poland would meet all the requirements of the EU accession treaty. That is why modernization of the Czajka plant is a crucial development which must be completed."

Czajka's modernization works are planned to take 40 months and will cost EUR 400 (zł.1,554) million. Some 60 percent of those expenditures will be covered by EU funding, while the remainder will come from the Municipal Water Supply and Sewage Enterprise (MPWiK). According to officials, the project should not affect Warsaw's budget.

Key to the highway

Another project for which Poland's capital hopes to obtain funding from Brussels, is the development of ul. Nowolazurowa. The planned renovations would see the route extend 6.5km from Rondo Zesłańców Syberyjskich to Al. Armii Krajowej and is designed as part of Warsaw's outer bypass. Flyovers will be constructed at the intersections with ul. Połczyńska and ul. Górczewska, as well as over railway tracks. The project is valued at zł.550 million, but a source of financing has not been found yet.

"Of course, the scale and costs of this development are quite significant but we believe that this project can meet the criteria of EU agencies and co-funding can be obtained," said Antoni Wilim, head of the research and development department of Warsaw's Municipal Roads Trust. "Our preliminary plans and proposals are almost ready, so hopefully that will help us with receiving adequate funds."  

Finally, the City of Warsaw also plans to build a new waste incinerator, which will also help Poland meet EU directives. A decision on its location is expected before 2008.