The authorities managing the program aim to reclaim EUR 0.9 billion from the European Commission in 2023, which amounts to about 1.2 percent of Poland’s GDP. This allocation for the 2021-2027 period is reported by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, citing Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Grzegorz Puda. He also indicated a preference for resolving the wind farm matter promptly.
Puda was asked whether the government had already decided, after the president referred the amendment to the law on the Supreme Court to the Constitutional Tribunal, that no funds would be drawn from the KPO during this term. He did not provide a definitive answer, noting that the tribunal’s timetable is uncertain. He expressed a hope that a verdict would come soon and that it would allow mobilization of KPO resources.
When pressed about the likelihood of a ruling before the summer, he said it was hard to estimate because the timing depends on when the president of the Constitutional Court appoints the full panel.
Regarding the possibility that the Constitutional Court might strike down only certain provisions, Puda said he does not want to speculate and prefers to await the official ruling.
He stressed that expert opinions confirm the law aligns with the Constitution. He noted that preparatory financing for projects included in the KPO has begun through the Polish Development Fund. He added that the fund is prepared to allocate PLN 15 billion.
The windmills case
Puda pointed out that meeting three milestones in the governance plan, including two judicial milestones and three related to wind farms, would allow the government to submit the first payment request for the KPO funds. He also expressed a strong desire for the wind farm matter to be settled swiftly and for the court’s decision to come soon, minimizing further delays for the program.
In discussions about the law on the Supreme Court, he noted that the government would monitor developments closely and respond as the situation evolves. There was also mention of parliamentary debate on the wind farm law and related regulatory adjustments intended to secure a workable compromise in the Sejm.
The broader political discussion has touched on wind farm proximity measures, the Waiver Act adjustments, and the ongoing process of aligning national rules with EU funding expectations. Observers watch for how these elements will influence the pace of the KPO disbursements and the resilience of the program against legal challenges.
olk/PAP
Source: wPolityce