The prospect of Polish adoption of the euro became “clearer” after last summit of European leaders in Brussels. Polish central bank Governor Marek Belka is sure of it “even if we don’t want to name an entry date immediately.” The euro-area is moving toward closer political union, and Poland will “one day enter a new, different eurozone that carries the traits of a federation more than it does today,” said the Governor.
But a new poll finds that opinion continues to turn against adopting the single European currency.  Fifty three percent of respondents told the OBOP pollsters that accession to the eurozone will be unfavourable for Poland.
Sixty five percent think that adopting the euro will have a negative impact on their household and 49 percent said they thought the single currency would have a negative effect on the economy. Only 22 percent thought the euro would be positive for the economy, 11 percent that it would have no effect and 18 percent answered “don’t know”. In 2007 the government said that they aimed to join the eurozone by 2012, but the finance crisis and debt levels forced to delay the plans.

Full Interview – Der Spiegel –

 “Over the last 7 years (2007-13) only through the EU Cohesion Funds (the biggest in the EU’s regional assistance) the member states are supposed to receive about € 350bn attributed to more than 450 national and regional projects in the 27 member states.
 For example, in the Baltic States, Latvia will get € 4,6bn, Lithuania – € 6,9bn and Estonia – € 3,4bn; just to compare, Poland has got already € 67bn of the EU development grants since it joined the EU in 2004…
 Over the next 18 months, the EU-27 governments will decide on the block’s next “financial programming” for 2014-20 with a total expenditures at the level of 1 trillion Euros… According to the Commission’s proposal published at the end of June 2011, the spending figures are the following (out of total € 1,025bn for the whole 2014-20 period) in %:

Economic growth & cohesion – 48;
Common agricultural policy – 27,5;
Other natural resources spending – 10;
Global action – 6,8;
Administration – 6,1;
Security & citizenship – 1,8. 

 Main contributors to the EU budget are known well: Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and Denmark, which “donate” the lion share of the EU-27 budget. The main recipients are well known too: Poland, Greece, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal and the three Baltic States, though in much less degree…
 The new EU member states from Eastern Europe are afraid that “milking the EU budget” through cohesion funds would come to an end. The Commission authorities argued that these worries were groundless: in the budget proposal the cohesion funds equal 37 per cent of the total budget (which is actually 2 per cent more that in the previous budget term).
 However, some say, there are some grounds for assistance’s reduction, e.g. in the cohesion fund a new line of expenses is envisages, so–called “connectivity fund” of about € 40bn aimed to build cross-border infrastructure projects. In fact, these projects include high-speed railways and pipeline connections which might be of a primary benefit for the rich member states.
 Besides some proposed changes in the eligibility rules for various EU funds would make in more difficult for poorer states to get financial support.
 According to a Polish study, wealthy states can benefit from cohesion funds for the Eastern members: each euro in cohesion financing in Poland gives 36 cents to the richer states in the form of additional demand for goods and services. (Financial Times, 22 August 2011, p.5)…”

Article – Eugene Eteris – The Baltic Course.