Poland biggest beneficiary of EU's Cohesion Fund - PM
PM Mateusz Morawiecki, on Wednesday, in his report to the Sejm (lower house) on the results of the marathon EU summit, said that Poland was the biggest beneficiary of the Cohesion Fund, while the agreed upon EU budget raises Poland's chances for a golden decade.
The PM presented MPs with a report on the provisions of the agreement signed during the extraordinary July 17-21 EU summit. Morawiecki remarked that the terms of negotiating the new budget had changed fundamentally, primarily because Great Britain had left the EU.
Turning to details, the PM said Poland is to receive some EUR 70 billion from the Cohesion Fund. He added that the value of the entire EU budget for 2021-2027 will amount to over EUR 1.7 trillion. Poland will be eligible to receive over PLN 700 billion (EUR 157.65 billion) from the EU budget, including over PLN 620 billion (EUR 139.64 billion) in form of subsidies.
Morawiecki stressed that Poland's success at the negotiating table was determined by "firm figures, substantive arguments." This, according to the PM, contributed to the fact that Poland "returns from this European summit together with other countries, mainly from Central Europe, as a great winner." He added that this is not only a victory for Poland, but also "a victory for European solidarity."
The PM said that contrary to what the opposition preached before the summit, it turned out that United Right camp's "policy of tough negotiations, assertive policy, and not patting on the shoulder, is most effective." "In effect (...) we have obtained the largest funds within the European Union," said the PM.
He added that Poland received more funds from the EU budget under the cohesion policy and for energy transition than anyone could have imagined a few months ago. "These are huge, extra funds that had not been on the table before," he said.
Morawiecki told MPs that it was a good "or even very good budget for Poland," supporting the country's sustainable economic model, and raises much higher Poland's chances for a golden decade, "for very good years ahead of us," said the PM.
During the summit, the EU leaders agreed on the EUR 750 billion recovery package to help the EU tackle the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The package offers EUR 390 billion in grants and EUR 360 billion in loans. The value of the entire EU budget for 2021-2027 will amount to EUR 1.074 trillion.
Under the EU post-pandemic stimulus plan for coronavirus-hit economies, Poland is to receive a total of EUR 160 billion, including EUR 124 billion in non-repayable grants
According to the PM's Office, Poland will be able to receive from the EU budget and the European Recovery Instrument, some EUR 139 billion in subsidies and EUR 34 billion in low-interest loans.
