Gov't to allocate over euro 280 million for increased border security

This week the government will analyze how best to allocate funds for the improvement of border protection and expansion of border infrastructure, for which the budget is to receive euro 280 million in Schengen funds from the EU between 2003-2005. In order to use it, however, Poland will have to provide at least one quarter of the amount granted. According to Tomasz Pest from the Bureau for International Co-operation and European Integration, Poland will certainly invest at least euro 30 million in a radar system to monitor the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea. One of the biggest investments will be the acquisition of 50 specialized vehicles equipped with thermal imaging cameras, each costing about euro 300,000. In order to shorten the distance between each border post to 20-25 km, Poland will add five new posts to the existing network of 52. The cost of constructing and equipping each post exceeds zl. 6 million. Moreover, the EU wants Poland to increase the number of border guards by 5,300 by 2006. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) M.M.