Political appointees appear to endanger distribution of Sapard funds

Farmers as well as businesses are worried about recent personnel changes in the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR), which manages the pre-accession Sapard program. Aleksander Bentkowski, the agency chairman decided to completely replace the senior management in the agency's regional branches. Specialists with experience in dealing with EU funds, and in possession of much needed foreign languages have been replaced with inexp erienced people, who are linked to the ruling coalition. Analysts say that t his move will have serious repercussions for the Sapard program, and will pu t Poland in a negative light with the EU. This not the end of the troubles f or the Agency. So far, only 15 applications for subsidies from the Sapard fu nd have been received. Farmers are complaining that application procedures a re too long and complicated, while clerks from the agency, although obliged to help fill them in, are very reluctant to help. (Puls Biznesu pp. 1, 4; Zy cie p. 3) A.L.