Investment Minister Balik Signs Memorandum on Cooperation with Poland

Bratislava, July 27 (TASR) - Caretaker Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Peter Balik has signed a memorandum on cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, the Slovak ministry and Vice-premier for the Recovery and Resilience Plan and Use of EU Funds Livia Vasakova announced following the talks on Thursday. The memorandum should help to find ways to improve the setting and functioning of EU funds in Slovakia. Experts from the Investment and other Slovak ministries held talks with their Polish counterparts in Warsaw about the EU funds system within several panels. "Slovakia has had long-term problems with drawing EU funds and is still somewhere at the bottom of the EU in this regard, while Poland is one of the most successful EU countries in this area. So, I welcome the opportunities that the signed memorandum offers us," said Balik after signing the document. Slovakia is in 21st place in the EU ranking of EU-fund use, having drawn 75 percent of the total EU funds allocated to it in the current programme period. Meanwhile, Poland is in second place, having drawn 91 percent of EU funds. Balik said that the caretaker government has set the drawing of EU funds as one the priorities under his remit. "While we in Slovakia have focused mainly on processes over the past two decades and EU fund-related red tape has grown at an extreme rate, the Poles have focused on results, simplifying the path to money for applicants as much as possible. Poland can be an inspiration for us in three areas, first and foremost when it comes to large infrastructure projects," stated Balik. The memorandum will enable exchanges of Polish and Slovak experts and consultation. However, Balik sees the main challenge in changing the mindset of Slovak experts who are in charge of EU funds. New EU funds and Programme Slovakia might have a chance as well, he added. ko/df