Gov't signs subsidies and investment deal with MAN

"This is a very fortunate location," said MAN's president Anton Weinmann. He emphasized that his company is not planning to transfer its German employees to Poland, but wants to develop new production. The Polish factory will ultimately produce 15,000 lorries a year and will employ 650 people. The value of the contract, which was signed yesterday, has been estimated at EUR 90-100 million. According to unofficial sources, the German firm originally planned to construct the plant in Slovakia, but the financial help offered by the Polish government made the German company eventually choose the Polish site. The subsidies will be paid between 2006-2008 and will be provided from the grant allocated for the creation of new jobs for people with higher education. According to Economy Minister Jacek Piechota, the income to the budget from MAN's investment in that period will be about zł.156 million. Prime Minister Marek Belka believes that the project will attract other investors in its wake. (Parkiet, p. 20) A.F.