Has Poland been paid money from the KPO?
The National Reconstruction Plan (KPO) has been discussed and negotiated at various levels both in Poland and in the European Union, and its approval process has faced several obstacles.
One of the main reasons for blocking the KPO was the European Commission's reservations regarding the rule of law in Poland. The Commission expressed concerns about the judicial reforms and the independence of the courts that started in 2017. These were seen as a potential violation of the rule of law, which is fundamental to the European Union.
In Poland, there was also a debate on the KPO. Differences of opinion between Mateusz Morawiecki's second government (2019-2023) and the opposition, as well as within the parliamentary majority, the United Right, influenced the shaping of the final version of the plan. Discussions ranged from spending directions to issues related to the rule of law. This resulted, in the blocking of funds that were to be used as early as 2021.
After the elections on 15 October, when the incumbent opposition won a majority, the process of unblocking the KPO accelerated. However, it required negotiations and compromise between the Polish government and the EU institutions. Poland had to show a willingness to introduce changes and reforms that would be acceptable to the European Commission, especially in the context of the rule of law.
This led to the 'unblocking' of the KPO on 8 December 2023. Poland has until the end of the year to draw down the first €5 billion as an advance payment. It is anticipated that the process of obtaining the remaining funds will only be a matter of time and the introduction of appropriate reforms related to the implementation of the so-called 'milestones'.
In order to meet the EU's requirements, the Polish government headed by Donald Tusk has agreed to make the appropriate changes to national legislation, particularly with regard to the functioning of the judiciary and the independence of judges.
