Jerzy Miller to head ARMA

Yesterday Jerzy Miller, a respected non-party technocrat, was appointed to head the agency that will administer billions of euros in European Union farm aid after Poland joins the bloc next year. Miller, who was a deputy finance minister under the previous right-wing government, replaced Aleksander Bentkowski, who left the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARMA) this month. Bentkowski had to step down, because he was affiliated with the Polish Peasants Party (PSL), which Prime Minister Leszek Miller ditched from the ruling coalition. Under Bentkowski, the agency, responsible for setting up the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) for managing EU farm aid, was plagued by allegations of corruption, incompetence and cronyism. "If anyone can put things right at ARMA, it is definitely Jerzy Miller," said Rafał Zagorny, a parliamentary deputy of the opposition Civic Platform. "The future looks brighter for Poland's ability to receive EU farm aid after accession." (Reuters) A.C. In Brief: Danuta Waniek, to chair KRRiTV; Samoobrona protests; Marek Pol As expected, Danuta Waniek has been chosen as the new Chairman of the National Radio and Television Council (KRRiTV). Five members voted for her candidature, three other members (former Chairman Juliusz Braun, Jarosław Sellin and Lech Jaworski) abstained from the vote. (www.polskieradio.pl) ... Yesterday morning, deputies from the Self-Defense party (Samoobrona) organized a demonstrationin front of the main entrance to the Sejm. They were protesting against the sending of troops to Iraq without consulting the Sejm and the protest was aimed at preventing President Kwaśniewski from entering the building. "Kwaśniewski once left the building using a ladder so now he can do so in order to get in," said Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper. (www.onet.pl) ... The Sejm has rejected two motions concerning a vote of no confidence in Infrastructure Minister Marek Pol. There were two separate proposals, one put forward by the Law and Justice (PiS) and Civic Platform (PO) parties, and the other by the Samoobrona and the Polish Family League (LPR). (www.biznes.onet.pl) K.Ż.