EU ready to negotiate on granting Polish farmers subsidies upon EU accession

The Polish government demands that the EU revise its 2000-2006 budget, which does not make provisions for subsidies for Polish farmers. However, German ambassador to the EU, Wilhelm Schoenfelder, said this is not the correct approach. Rather, he noted the budget, set in Berlin last March, is a condition for EU expansion. According to Schoenfelder, "The solution to the [farmers' subsidies] problem can be found without altering the budget." He also said the EU budget includes euro 80 billion for accession candidates which is more than most of these countries will be able to absorb. This should make it possible to solve the problem of farmers' subsidies. (Rzeczpospolita, page B2)