WARSAW, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The Polish economy will become less and less dependent on the European Union funds, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday, commenting on possible reductions of funds for Poland in the future EU budget.
"We have a misconception that our economy depends on EU funds," Morawiecki told a local media.
Morawiecki added that due to the huge neglect of previous governments, Poland lacked the infrastructure and therefore the government would "fight very hard for EU's structural funds and the common agricultural policy funds."
Morawiecki noted that he met with Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Friday. "I emphasised that Poland organises and coordinates all activities related to cohesion policy, which is the policy related to EU funds. We will firmly voice our expectations, defend our interests and we will win here," he stressed.
In early May, the European Commission passed a draft of the EU's 2021-27 budget showing total members' commitments of 1.279 trillion euros and payments of 1.246 trillion euros. Under the draft, Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) cuts may reach 7 and 5 percent, respectively. In addition, cohesion policy is expected to play a more important role in supporting structural reforms and the long-term integration of migrants.
The draft budget envisages increasing national contributions, in commitments, to 1.11 percent of EU countries' gross national income (GNI) and, in payments, to 1.08 percent of GNI.
The calculations of Poland's Ministry of Investment and Economic Development showed that Poland can get not 7 percent but 10 percent less in cohesion funds and that CAP funds for the country may be reduced by 15 percent rather than 5 percent. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollars)
