A conference on flood response will take place, featuring European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Key EU leaders to discuss flood relief in Wrocław
The meeting will begin at 5:00 PM, when the politicians will gather in the capital of Lower Silesia in southwestern Poland. Wrocław was chosen as the venue because the Polish government is currently managing the flood crisis in the region.
Poland is seeking approval from the European Commission for reallocations in EU funds to support urgent investments related to reconstruction and flood protection infrastructure.
Brussels reminds that disaster-affected countries can apply for funding from the Solidarity Fund, with an advance of up to 100 million euros.
Poland seeks swift EU funding for flood reconstruction
The Polish government assures that the costs of aid and reconstruction will be covered by the government, but economists estimate that expenses could reach up to 0.5% of GDP.
So far, 2 billion PLN (approximately 468 million EUR) have been allocated for flood prevention efforts, and additional funds may come from EU sources.
As reported today by former Wrocław Mayor and MEP Bohdan Zdrojewski, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Thursday for immediate assistance to flood-stricken countries, including Poland.
The activation of EU procedures on this matter will be expedited and could occur within the next few weeks. Zdrojewski added that Poland can expect significant financial support from the EU, though exact amounts are not yet known; available funds currently exceed one billion euros.
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Source: IAR/KPRP
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