Poland's new government received $5.6bn from EU in coronavirus aid

Following the change of government, Poland has received an advance of €5 billion ($5.6 billion) from the EU's long-blocked coronavirus aid programme.

"First European transfer already in the account of the Polish state! Over 20 billion zlotys! Done as promised," wrote the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the social media network X on Thursday.

The money is intended for the expansion of renewable energies in Poland, announced Minister for Regional Development Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.

The European Commission had previously withheld money from Poland because the national-conservative government had undermined the judicial system.

During the election campaign, Tusk promised Poles a rapprochement with Brussels in order to free up blocked aid.

Former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, from the national-conservative PiS party, played down the transfer. Morawiecki, who left office in mid-December, said on X that the decision by the EU finance ministers to pay out the funds was made before Tusk took office.

The release of the funds is seen in Brussels as a vote of confidence in Tusk's pro-European tripartite coalition. However, the new government must withdraw the controversial judicial reforms. Otherwise Poland will have to repay the advance.