EU funds are likely to find their way into regional projects says PM

"Between 2007-2013 Poland will receive 10.5% of the EU's planned budget," said PM Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz. He stressed that over this period Poland will pay a contribution of EUR 21 billion to the common budget. "By paying one Euro we will be able to use EUR 4 of EU funds. If we manage to use these funds properly, we will face a unrepeatable opportunity to abolish our development gap in relation to other states of the Union," announced Marcinkiewicz. It is still unknown at what projects the funds will be designated for, but draft plans should be presented by the Regional Development Ministry on Thursday and most of the money will be directed to the regions. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B1) M.M.