EU budget rejected again - how long will this continue?
22 September 2008
Statement by TUV MEP Jim Allister:-
"The response seems clear. Indefinitely. The EU budget has now been rejected by the European Court of Auditors for the fourteenth consecutive year. However, the different Member States still refuse to stand up and fight against a level of fraud, which would be inacceptable for any national administration. Thus, the corruption continues whilst ironically the EU heralds itself as a great bastion of transparency and instead points the finger of condemnation in the face of poorer overseas governments.
This year the EU budget represents a staggering €129.1 billion and continues to rise at a rate faster than inflation. The budget for next year could reach as much as €145 billion. Under normal circumstances, if an administration is mismanaging money, it should be given no more until it puts its house in order. Yet the opinion of the European Court of Auditors, which refuses to sign off the budgets has been rendered worthless. It is rather a bureaucratic box ticking excercise with no follow-up.
As if adding insult to injury, not only is there massive waste and corruption, but the EU spends huge sums of money to fund agencies promoting Europhile agendas and plans to spend another €7.8 billion on furthering the goals of the rejected Lisbon Treaty.
The rejection of the budget hasn't made the front pages of the press at home, as the story looses its sensationalism as the years go by. Yet, whilst the average UK tax payer struggles to pay for rising fuel prices, the EU continues to mismanage money.
"This is a disgrace. The British public need schools and hospitals and their money is being put into the bottomless pit of EU incompetence."
