POLAND’S president has signed a Bill that centralises funding of charities and civic groups in the prime minister’s office.

The law sets up a new National Freedom Institute, under the PM, that will dish out about £21 million in public funding from the government and the European Union.

Ministers claim that it will ensure that public funding is “fair and well balanced,” but it has been the target of sustained campaigning by non-government organisations which worry that the government will try to use funding decisions to politically control charities.