Poland’s post-pandemic National Recovery Plan (NRC) should be approved within days, the government spokesperson said on Friday.
Piotr Mueller said negotiations on the NRC with the European Commission (EC)officially closed on Wednesday, with both sides reaching an agreement on “milestone” issues.
The EC’s approval of the plan is a precondition for Poland’s participation in an EU post-pandemic recovery fund. The plan outlines how Poland intends to spend the EUR 23.9 billion in grants and EUR 11.5 billion in loans it can get under the scheme.
But so far the European Commission has refused to approve it, which has put Poland’s access to billions of euros on hold.
“Both the Polish side’s (negotiation – PAP) team and the team created by the European Commission head have reached an agreement on what the ‘milestones’ will be,” said Mueller. “Now this bilaterally approved content has been sent for final processing pending its formal approval by the EC.”
“Now all we’re waiting for is the formal, final step by the EC,” he added.
The EC’s reluctance to approve the plan is linked to the Polish government’s refusal to adhere to a European court order to wind up a Disciplinary Chamber in the Polish Supreme Court on grounds of its possible use as a pressure tool on judges.