The long and winding road to the EU

So the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) was once again accused of cronyism last week. Only this time it was the European Commission that did the accusing. The European Union's executive arm launched an investigation into allegations that the government had stacked the management of ARMA - the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture - with a gaggle of political pals to handle billions of euros in EU aid after Poland joins the bloc. The EU is worried that unless competent management is in place at ARMA, Poland will not make efficient use of enormous amounts of catch-up funding. In other words, the bloc could get bilked out of piles of Western European tax euros. The EU is right to be concerned. The ARMA case is just one example of what's wrong with Polish state institutions and the mountain of work it will take to clean them up. It will take time. Lots of it. But not only.

For Poland's membership in the EU to mean anything, it will not be enough to have crossed off the last of the Western bloc's accession chapters this year and say, "Hey, we made it. We're in." The fact that Poland has so far concluded most of the areas of negotiation means only that it has agreed with the EC on what it will take for this country to one day become a dynamic, contributing member of the European club of nations. Simply put, the hard work has barely begun. Making proper use of EU funding and implementing its rules and regulations so that Poland can move forward and catch up with the West will be a massive task. And there's no guarantee it will be done properly. That's the sad part. Poland should join the European Union, but there will be millions of victims - mainly the nation's peasant population. So when revelations come to light that precious euros destined to help put Poland on the right track are being mismanaged, or worse, potentially being divvied up among political appointees, the road to EU brotherhood looks painfully long and potholed indeed. Hopefully, the EC will press its case and hold the government's feet to the fire on the ARMA issue. Maybe then there will be a chance for genuine reform of Poland's state institutions.