No good proposals means no EU funds, say Warsaw EC representatives

If Poland fails to submit good proposals, significant EU funds will be lost, warns deputy EU ambassador in Warsaw John O'Rourke. He was referring to nearly euro 1 billion designated for Poland in PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD funds. O'Rourke commented that proposals are poorly prepared and often submitted late. Head of European Integration Committee (UKIE) Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said he could not imagine such large sums being lost and argued that some delays are the fault of the European Commission and its Warsaw officials. His predecessor lost his job, however, when Poland failed to secure such funds in 1998. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 18) M.K.