Buzek to face tough environmental issues during Brussels visit next week

The Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek will visit Brussels next week to iron out tough environmental issues with European Union (EU) Environment Commissar Margot Wallstrom. With environment protection being one of the most difficult chapters in negotiations, Poland still has a long way to go before closing the chapter with the EU. Notably, the meeting will focus on the contentious issue of solid waste disposal. Buzek would also like to get Poland a 10-year transitional period for meeting the EU's strict regulations on environmental protection. Given where Poland stands now in terms of meeting EU standards, it would seem likely that the ambitious plan of closing the chapter by the summer of 2001 will not be reached. Analysts say it its more likely that it will be completed by fall of 2002, along with all other negotiations chapters. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B2