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Poland to spend EUR 7 bn in EU aid on widening internet access, childcare support

22.12.2023 16:30
The Polish government will allocate the first tranche of European Union post-pandemic recovery funds, worth EUR 7 billion, towards ensuring unversal access to broadband internet, conducting thermal overhaul of multi-family dwellings and expanding nursery provision, the minister for EU funds has said. 
Pixabay license.
Pixabay license.Image by angelo luca iannaccone from Pixabay

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz announced the funding areas at a news conference in Warsaw on Friday. 

The minister for EU funds and regional policy said the government would use the grants from Brussels to "eliminate gaps" in universal broadband coverage.

The government will ensure access to broadband internet  for around a million households in areas where private provision is unprofitable, the dziennik.pl website reported.

Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said this would "eliminate the remaining gaps in access to broadband internet in Poland."

She added the government would also carry out a "thermal overhaul of some 115,000 flats in multi-family dwellings," to raise energy efficiency by "at least 30%."

The minister for EU funds and regional policy said the EUR 5 billion in recovery cash from Brussels would also be spent on creating "50,000 new nursery places," especially "in areas where there is a shortage" of childcare provision, the state news agency PAP reported.

EU recovery funds for Poland

On December 15, Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said the government had "applied for EUR 6.9 billion in EU recovery funds" for the country. 

This tranche will comprise around EUR 2.8 in grants and EUR 4.2 billion in loans, officials said.

Pełczyńska-Nałęcz added that funds would be released "in exchange for concrete reforms" and finance projects that "will impact the lives of everyone."

It came after Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that EU recovery funds earmarked for Poland, withheld due to a dispute between Warsaw and Brussels over the rule of law under Poland's previous conservative government, "have been unblocked at last."

Tusk, who was taking part in a summit of EU leaders in the Belgian capital, added that the EU would release "PLN 22 billion (EUR 5 billion) by the end of this year" and that a "request has been made for a further PLN 30 billion (EUR 7 billion)."

He also announced that further transfers would be made, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Poland is entitled to EUR 59.8 billion from the EU's post-pandemic recovery fund, including EUR 34.5 billion in loans and EUR 25.3 billion in grants, according to officials. 

(pm)

Source: PAP, dziennik.pl