AriMR to pay out EU subsidies to farmers this month

According to EU Law, direct subsidies can be paid out from December only. During Poland's first year of membership, the EU made an exception and allowed subsidies to be paid out in October. During the first two years the subsidies were paid out till April, this year, however, it is supposed to be different. During a press conference on Friday Andrzej Lepper assured farmers that they would receive subsidies before starting field work. The first round will be directed to farmers who suffered from the drought, with zl.276 allocated per hectare. Polish law protects the names of farmers who receive the subsidies and the amounts they are given, even treasurer's offices do not know who receives what. The EU is demanding that the names be revealed, but the government is in no hurry to change the law.(Rzeczpospolita, December 2-3, p.B2) M.M.