EC transfers first tranch of structural funds

On Friday the EU Commissioner for Regional Development Jacques Barrot, transferred the first EUR 240 million from EU's structural funds for Poland. In a few weeks time these funds will be used to build highways, sewerage treatment plants, modern dairy and meat processing plants. This year Poland will receive four times more money for development as in 2003 and by the end of 2006 we will be able to make use of zł.72 billion. The first group to benefit will be fishermen, later farmers. Towns are next in the queue, waiting for funds to build sewerage treatment systems. Roads are the EU's priority. Barrot declared, "These will be the measure of our success," as a result almost half of the EUR 4,9 billion worth of Coherence Fund between 2004-2006 will be spent on Polish highways. (Rzeczpospolita, July 24-25, pp. A1, B1) D.W.