Deputy Economy Minister says Poland is not ready for all EU funding

"Poland is not prepared to receive all the money it could be granted from restructuring funds after joining the European Union," said deputy Economy Minister Ewa Freiberg yesterday. She explained that the biggest problem on the Polish side is not shortage of local money to match funds from the EU, but rather the lack of a national development plan. "Coordination of action and the responsibility of central and local authorities is another problem. Cooperation with the lower levels of public administration is a must, as they will decide on programs as well as on the use of funds," Freiberg continued. Negotiations with the EU on regional policy, one of the last remaining chapters, are scheduled to start before the end of the year. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2) M.K.