In Brief: Farmacol expansion; Akademia Marek established, VAT refunds

According to forecasts announced by Farmacol, a company dealing with pharamecuticals, this year company turnover will increase by 30% to zl. 2.4 billion, with a net profit of zl. 36 million, compared to zl. 6.6 million for 2001. The company plans to increase its distribution of medicines to drugstores to cover as much as 20% of the distribution market. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B1) ... Seventy leading Polish companies have founded the Akademia Marek program as part of a national marketing program, which assumes that within 25 years Poland will join the 30 most developed countries in the world. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2) ... ... The state treasury will have to repay between zl. 10 million to zl. 20 million to several foreign companies due to overpaid value added tax (VAT). The companies entitled to the VAT refunds are those that do not pay VAT in Poland and that neither have a tax identification number (NIP), nor representative offices. The Finance Ministry is preparing changes to regulations governing such matters. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2) M.K.