ARiMR signs agreement with WFOS on SAPARD environmental funding

At a press conference yesterday, Aleksander Bentkowski, president of the Agency for Development and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR) signed an agreement with the Natural Environmental Protection Regional Fund (WFOS) in Warsaw. From Friday the Fund will grant special highly-competitive bridging loans for communities which would like to take advantage of the EU's SAPARD fund within the remit of the so-called III action (investments in environment protection and infrastructure in rural communities - SAPARD refunds 50% of the value of a given investment after its termination). The conditions and terms of the loans - compared to other commercial credits - are superb. WFOS is willing to finance as much as 70% of the investment's value. The credit's interest rate would amount to only 7% (or even 4%). And if the investment is executed, half the loan could be subject to amortization. Bentkowski announced that the Agency had obtained the consent of the Agriculture Minister to refund farmers and agricultural consulting centers the costs of preparing applications. At the same time, the Agency President admitted that as yet they have received only 27 applications for SAPARD subsidies. The deadline for filing applications is October 17, though most are expected a week prior to this date. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 20) K.K.