Poland promises land concession in first indication of greater flexibility

According to a statement submitted by Poland's chief European Union (EU) negotiator Jan Truszczynski to the EU Council, companies from EU countries intending to invest in Poland will be able to purchase land freely after the country's accession to the alliance. According to EU representatives, the statement is the first indication that the government of Prime Minister Leszek Miller intends to be more flexible in its negotiations with Brussels. Previously Poland had been demanding a five-year transition period on the issue of land purchases by foreign investors. The European Commission (EC) and EU countries had persistently refused to make any concessions. According to sources close to the Polish negotiators, in the very near future the new government intends to make more concessions in order to complete the negotiations with the EU as soon as next year. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) A.Z.