KPO revision. Expected final approval
Negotiations are so advanced that – as the Brussels correspondent heard – the final approval of the KPO revision is expected next month by the Ministers of EU finance of the countries.
Brussels talks with Warsaw were prolonged, because – let's remind – initially consent of the Commission to changes in the KPO was expected in April. But the Polish government's decision to redirect PLN 26 billion to defense investments required detailed explanations.
Key conversations on KPO. “Pressure in Europe”
Originally they were to hit the green transformation of Polish cities. The issue is delicate, because theoretically money from the EU Reconstruction Fund should be allocated only for pandemic repair activities, for digital and green investments. But the pressure in Europe to dosing opened the gate for Poland. And the political will – if it is – it rains up – said one of the EU officials a month ago in an interview with the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio.
Along with these changes in the KPO, the requirement to fully contribute to mandate contracts and the work is also deleted. Initially, the contentious issue was resolved in negotiations with the European Commission.
What can money go?
As we wrote at the end of March, from EU funds they are to be financed, among others Modernization of the defense industry, expansion of strategic infrastructure of population protection such as shelters and protection of energy networks, as well as solutions on innovative defense technologies (these are e.g. safe communication systems). “As part of the investment, it is planned to create an instrument that, through guarantees, will facilitate the acquisition of external sources of financing for the development of small and medium -sized enterprises sector,” the Prime Minister's office informed at the end of March.
Read more: Nobody in the EU did it. Poland is changing the plan for spending billions of zlotys
Sources: Information Agency Radio