Poland to present road construction plan in bid to close transport chapter

In an attempt to close talks with the EU on the transportation chapter, the Transport Ministry is intensifying its efforts to complete a proposal for domestic road construction, which should be presented to the EU within a month. It is already known that the investment in construction of 4,808 kilometers of roads and highways throughout the country will reach zl.54 billion. Poland anticipates the EU subsidizing the project with its own funds equalling zl.30 billion, coming from, among others, the ISPA fund and through credits from the European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. However, according to Deputy Transport Minister Andrzej Grzelakowski, the process of adjusting Polish roads to European standards will take at least 15 years, which, according to the EU, is too long. So far, only 1% of Polish roads meet EU standards. (Puls Biznesu, p.11) J.K.