Supreme Board of Inspection finds faults with use of ISPA funds

According to a report by the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK), Poland had problems using EU money from the ISPA fund designated for environmental purposes, and the total amount used so far by the Polish side amounts to only 0.15% of all help granted. According to the Board, the delays are due to organizational and personal inadequacies, extensive negotiations, and enormous amounts of documentation to be completed and verified. The ISPA fund is aimed at helping candidate countries to reach the level of the EU in terms of environmental protection and transportation. Poland is allowed to use between euro 156 million and euro 200 million from this source annually. According to the NIK report, the country received only euro 30 million from euro 575 million granted by the ISPA fund between 2000 and mid-2002. (Parkiet, p. 7; www.rmf.pl) M.M.