Europa 2000 Plus: German businessmen skeptical about enlarging EU

Polish government finds Czech spy using double agent and cash incentives A Polish army officer is alleged to have received $1,000 from a Czech agent in return for information on the Polish military and politicians. The Polish officer, to the surprise of the Czech, was a double agent whose activities only came to light after the Polish government protested the appointment of the Czech agent to the post of Defense Attaché at the Czech embassy in Warsaw. The affair led to the freezing of cooperation between the intelligence units of the two countries. Nonetheless, the Czech agent was redirected to work in a Czech diplomatic post abroad in the West. The issue sparked a media frenzy in Czech after the government reacted angrily to allegations that it was spying on a NATO ally. (Zycie, page 1) S.M. According to the report "Europa 2000 Plus," compiled by Germany's Chamber of Trade and Commerce (DIHT), German businessmen are expressing reservations about the rapid European Union (EU) enlargement to the East and believe that none of the countries of the former Communist block will be ready before 2004. The report maintains the optimal accession time for Poland will be 2005 and for Czech Republic 2006. Both countries are accused of dragging their feet over the implementation of EU legal standards. "Quality is more important than speed," the authors of the report conclude. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 22) P.S.