Polish official sacked after EU aid cuts

The Polish Prime Minister, Jerzy Buzek, has sacked the official responsible for requesting European Union funds after cuts in EU aid designed to help bring Poland closer to union membership.

The European Commission said the the country had presented projects that were not directly related to union membership or were not ready to be implemented.

Correspondents say the decision is a setback for Poland which hopes to take the lead among the countries now negotiating to join the EU.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service