Polish people's criticism of European Union

Despite being confirmed Euro enthusiasts, with average support at 80%, the highest in EU, Poles sometimes feel wronged by Brussels eurocrats and politicians.

E.g.,

This article reads that due to good weather, sugar beetroot crops were at record level this year. But euro quotas imposed on Poland`s sugar production say it is illegal to produce more than we are allowed to.

To make matters worse, the consumption of sugar in Poland is higher that our production and we regularly have to import about 200.000 tonnes each year.

Sugar prices have doubled over a few years. And a dozen or more sugar plants have been closed in Poland too.

No wonder that both farmers, sugar plant workers and average sugar shoppers feel a bit angry about it.

Why not sell the excess to the biofuel industry?

where have you seen bio-fuel industry in Poland (especially ethanol)

Because:


There's a sugar deficit. The results are:


Yes, the EU do like to poke their collective noses in where it is not welcome. They did this with fishing quotas too...

the quotas were negotiated by the SLD government on our accession into the EU - in effect sugar in Poland is more expensive than sugar in Germany - and we are talking about poor country - there is a lot we need to renegotiate with the EU in order to keep our agriculture afloat - for example the amount of direct payments to our farmers which are two times lower than in Germany or France - this alll by the way shows that sycophant policies don't work - you have to bend over and take it and in the end and it doesn't feel good

Polish politicians knew well in advance that all those EU subsidies come with strings attached. You took the money, so don't complain. Oh, and welcome to the EU... :)

I found this amusing today:-

wbj.pl/artiwww.cle-61420-european-commission-to-look-into-polands-road -contracts.html?typ=wbj

The same European Commission that has not had its books signed off for 14 years due to irregularities and the same commission responsible for this:-

"FEARS that the EU is squandering more British ­taxpayers' cash were fuelled last night after it emerged more than £1.2billion in overseas aid from Brussels could not be traced."

it will be anything but amusing when they reach the conclusion that we need to pay a lot of money back to Brussels - there have already been voices long ago that Polish road construction projects are run without respect to the EU rules and that we could be made to give the money back

Do you have a source for that 80 figure (seems a bit high)...

I found these:

europa.eu/about-eu/facts-figures/tables/support_for_eu_membersh ip_en.htm?height=700&width=700
ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb73/eb73_first_en.pdf

Sure:

Support for Polish membership in the EU has increased in December to 81 percent . to 77 percent . in the previous survey in July - According to a survey by CBOS. Should Poland join the euro?

Number of opponents Polish presence in the Community has increased to 15 percent . compared to 14 per cent . previously.

The study was conducted from 30 November - 6 December 2012 year numbering 1,135 people representative random sample of adult residents of Polish . ( PAP)

Boze Swiety ratuj Polske.

I hope they change their opinions before Poland becomes Muslim France.

Polish side claims that Brussels is too quick to administer the freeze of €4 billion for Polish roads.

euobserver.com/economic/118897

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has blocked over €4 billion of money for Polish roads, causing dismay in the run-up to an EU budget summit next week.

It took the decision after the Polish prosecutor accused 11 people - 10 of them CEOs of large construction firms and one of them a director in Poland's road agency, the GDDKiA - of colluding to fix prices for tenders for EU-co-funded projects.

The frozen money concerns €4 billion of unspent Polish allocations from the EU's 2007 to 2013 budget in the "infrastructure & environment" programme.

henews.pl/1/2/Artykul/125676,EU-suspends-Polish-road-funding-after-cartel-allegations
"The Polish system of selecting projects and contractors is running efficiently," said Minister Elzbieta Bienkowska in an interview with Polish Radio.
"Poland is the aggrieved party in this matter, as it was Polish law enforcement agencies that detected that perhaps there was some price-fixing between contractors," she said.

However, Minister Bienkowska has suggested that Poland should not be penalised, reflecting that "you would have to assign a policeman to every contractor," to assure that there was no risk of any foul play.

Criticism is going to subside for a longer while after Poland has been promised (we will see the final outcome of the agreement) over 100 billion euros funding for the years 2014-20.

thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/126783,Poland-to-receive-bigger-slice-of-smaller-EU-cake

Dont bite the hand, that feeds you ..

Don`t be silly, a big percentage of Euro funds goes back to main donor countries, especially Germany. Germans supported Polish bid for funds because they support their own economy. :):):)

This is the norm in all EU countries. Why over produce more when you could use that space to create other money making things.

Poland has had it good for a long time since joining the EU, again as the above person said, don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Yes, like Scotland after joining Great Britain.:)


Ok, I won`t. Give me a rubber bone. :):)

Aha, no not like that at all, but nice try to dodge the subject. How many Billions does Poland put into the EU and how much does it take?

Disagreement. :):)


Not really, but thanks, anyway. :):)


Sorry, my calculator broke down. :):):)

Erm not really, explain.


Well you did, what does Poland joining the EU have to do with the union of GB? If you are trying to compare modern day Scotland which raised 49bn for the UK government last year yet has just passed the budget given to it by London of 32bn then its a bit wrong. I ask again how much did Poland contribute to the EU and then how much did Poland receive from the EU?


Cos you know the answer already ;)

Well apparently Poland is a third world country... if this is the case then the redistribution of wealth is only justified within a modern liberal EU...

Personally as an Englishman I don't feel we (England) should have any claim over Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish...
But maybe some have prospered over the years...

I hope Poland can prosper within the EU... if not then what's the point? Just to pay for civil servants... no thank you...

Poland will take at first, but it won;t be too long until they're paying for someone else... it's all swings and roundabouts...

Poland has never been a third world country and has never been accepted as so since joining the EU. In fact it is one of only a few countries that didn't go into recession.


I'd then ask why the Tories have been so keen to keep us out of the union. Considering they are the most hated party in the north and cant even buy a vote...


We all do.


Yeah but during a recession and only a couple of days ago Polish ministers were complaining about cuts to the EU members spending. Can't be part of the EU if you expect to have better treatment, we are all part of the same thing.

Yes, I do. I created this thread after all and posted the following things:


:):):)

Yes I know Dave. It's called sarcasm...


You are in the union. Have been for centuries... You guys want out. I have no problem with that...


It's the same everywhere... we all want to pay less taxes and have more public spending,... although to be fair to you guys north of the border you did at least agree to higher taxes for free education amongst other things... I wish our guys would really think about that stuff a little bit more...

You still dodge it by trying to change my question, but how much money did Poland contribute and how much money did Poland take? On a governmental basis, not on how many pounds Polish people who left Poland bring back or send over.

DT, I like you so here is some boring data despite the late hour:

Benefits go firrst:
Under the 2007- 2013 EU budget, Poland has benefited from €67 billion in EU structural funds: €25 billion was assigned for transport infrastructure, €17.8 billion to protect the environment, €14 billion for innovation, €3.6 billion to support entrepreneurship and over €16.5 billion for Poland's 16 regions. These funds have helped transform the country, and have played a major role in helping Poland chart a safe course through the financial crisis.

wbj.pl/article-58497-eu-flexing-its-muscles-on-cohesion-funds.html

And another link:


eubusiness.com/news-eu/poland-budget-czech.fhx/

Each euro that Germany pays into EU cohesion funds generates 1.25 euros (1.66 dollars) in revenues from exports to 2004 entrants Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, according to a study by Poland's regional development ministry undertaken in cooperation with the three other states.

Just taking a simplistic view.....I have been here almost 3 years and in almost every village I travel to/through there is a little bit of asphalt, sometimes just going to one house (Wojts relative perhaps???) and a nice big white signpost proclaiming that the EU paid for this. Sometimes these little roads just end in a muddy track???(whats that all about??) I am no expert but if you want industry, you need good 'A' roads and it seems little has been spent on them......who the hell gave money to Wojts to spend on their pet projects? The money should all have gone into building a better road system so that at least you could say to industry, we have good road links to the main arteries which lead to the rest of Europe. Industry might then come and with the wealth that brings the Wojt should build a road to his favourite nephews house!!! (I live in the Podkarpacie) To me it look like so much money has been wasted on these little village projects.....people got by before and these little bits of road are doing nothing to bring work to the area.....now they have some roads but either there is no work for the people to use the roads for or the children have all gone away to the rest of EU to find work.

I'm on that with you. Founds not only from EU but all public funds are handles badly. the ~Problem is that Poland is ruled by Soviet Poles and their clique of commie secret police. Their take on public money is - how to get a piece.

Can I call you a liar until the moment you post a picture of a finished little road, built with EU funds and marked with a white board, which ends in a muddy track?

I hope you don`t mind so let`s start: you are a liar. :):):)


Another liar who hasn`t been to Poland for 10 years and derives his knowledge only from reading the PF and his maniacal right wing sources. :):):) Iron, you`d better go to chat live, of course on condition your American wife isn`t near.

You are in denial, you miserable sod.
What about all those people who hasn't been paid for the work done on the highway project?
Are they laying too?
You are talking porkies with impunity, you cheeky monkey.

Still, I live in Poland while you don`t. You know only what you read from your maniacal sources, while I have a much wider perspective.