Migal in Brussels Stresses Importance of Cohesion and Better Use of EU Funds

Brussels, March 28 (TASR-correspondent) - Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) and State Secretary Radomir Salitros attended a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council on cohesion policy in Brussels on Friday, stating that the main topic was adapting cohesion policy so that the EU will be able to respond to the changing priorities and challenges that it faces. Migal described cohesion policy as a tool that Slovakia can use to draw money from EU funds and reduce pressure on the state budget. The debates at the Council of Ministers, according to him, were also about how Brussels can respond more effectively to the needs of countries and regions. "I praised the approach of Poland, which is currently the presiding country in the Council of the EU, and I confirmed that we want to learn from Poland how to successfully draw European resources," said Migal. The ministers also addressed the setting of the next multi-annual financial framework, with Slovakia being one of the countries that doesn't want to cut cohesion funding. Migal said that Slovakia wants to preserve funds that help to develop the regions. "At the same time, the question of financing the arms industry is being raised. Poland is active in wanting to use these funds. There are countries that want these funds not to be used directly to support the arms industry, but for dual use, both military and civilian. The discussions concern how to set this up properly so that spending is more precise and more responsive to the situation of the countries themselves and not decided in a bureaucratic manner from Brussels," said the minister. am/df