Mini-Marshall Plan “unfair and divisive”

“EU Marshall Plan encourages bankrupts,” complains the front page of DGP, which reports on a European Commission plan to increase EU funding for farming, regional and infrastructure projects from 85% to 95% for member states severely hit by the debt crisis: Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Hungary and Latvia. As they are unable to fulfill the requirement for national government contributions to EU-sponsored projects, these countries are currently unable to avail of most of the structural funds allotted to them by the EU. For example, Romania has so far used only 2.9% of its allocation, while Greece has only been able to take advantage of 7.9% of the EU structural aid granted under the 2007-2013 budget. “First, the EU floods bankrupt European states with financial aid, and now it is offering them special terms for structural aid… Instead of being rewarded for not indebting itself beyond reasonable limits, Poland is to be punished”, argues DGP’s angry editorial, which describes the the decision by the EU Commission as a measure that is “unfair,” which is destined to “divide the Union instead of uniting it”.