Warsaw, 17 October 1996 (RFE/RL) -- The European Union's (EU) commissioner responsible for Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Hans van den Broek, today begins a two-day visit to Poland.
Van den Broek is scheduled to meet President Aleksandr Kwasniewski, Foreign Minister Dariusz Rosati and other top officials.
Van den Broek today is scheduled to sign a grant of about $81 million as part of a program to help Warsaw implement economic reforms necessary for Poland's eventual membership in the EU. Poland has said it hopes to be admitted to the EU by the year 2000.
Tomorrow, Van den Broek meets Prime Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz and takes part in an international conference on investment opportunities in Poland. Van den Broek also meets Polish Parliamentary deputies, and holds a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Rosati.