Poland worried by row over EU enlargement budget

Poland said yesterday it was worried by a row over the European Union enlargement budget that threatens to delay next month's signing ceremony of the Accession Treaty with 10 candidate countries.

Poland's European Affairs Minister Danuta Huebner warned that any hold-up would hamper the government's efforts to win a referendum in June on joining the EU.

The EU parliament said on Wednesday it might postpone the April 16 ceremony, because the bloc's governments had failed to consult the assembly sufficiently on the budget for the EU's biggest ever expansion.

"I am stunned and worried. The European Parliament has traditionally been one of the EU institutions that are the most supportive for enlargement," Huebner told Reuters.

Poland is by far the largest of 10, mostly east European countries invited to join the EU on May 1, 2004. The mostly ex-communist countries have begun holding accession referendums, with Maltese voters backing EU entry over the weekend.

Greece, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, has scheduled the ceremonial signing of the accession treaty for April 16 in Athens.

But the assembly is irritated at what it says is a lack of consultation by member states on the 40-billion euro budget for enlargement in 2004-2006. It has asked Greece for clarification of the situation but says it has yet to receive a proper reply.

"I do hope things will be sorted out and there is no delay," Huebner said. "I am worried about the outcome of our referendum, as there are still many people (in Poland) suspicious about the EU," she added.

Recent public opinion polls showed support for joining the EU at about 70 per cent of those planning to vote, but the government is afraid that many EU backers will not show up at the ballot.

A minimum turnout of 50 per cent is required to make the plebiscite binding, and a result short of that would require parliament to ratify accession by a two-thirds majority.

Some east European diplomats are also concerned that many EU anti-war deputies may have doubts when voting on the Accession Treaty with the staunchly pro-US candidates if the vote coincides with a war on Iraq.