Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-10-20-Speech-2-334"
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"en.20091020.35.2-334"2
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"Madam President, it is unbelievable that in these times of financial and economic crisis, the European Commission proposes an increase of almost 5% for the 2010 budget.
But what is worse is that, while the Council, at its first reading in July, put forward a reduction of almost 2% on the preliminary draft budget, this Parliament is now proposing an increase of 5% on it.
The 2010 budget would then end up being over EUR 127 billion in payment appropriations which equates to 1.08% of the EU’s gross national income.
Is this the way this Parliament wants to bring the budget closer to the citizens? It is all very nice to want to subsidise the Special Olympics in Poland and Greece and the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in the Czech Republic, or even Xacobeo 2010, but our constituents have other priorities in their lives, such as paying their mortgages and giving a reasonable education to their children.
The daily cost of the European Union for the United Kingdom currently amounts to GBP 45 million per day and the proposed increase will bring it to GBP 50 million or more with the reduction of the rebate.
Believe me, there are many other priorities in the UK to invest this money in, and now that the European Commission has warned that Britain is in danger of going bust due to its high level of national debt, this country would be happy to have a significant reduction in its EU contributions, and I am sure that other countries would also be happy with a similar reduction.
Year after year, the Court of Auditors has been unable to give us satisfaction that the EU budget has been legally and regularly spent, and I was really concerned at the lack of control over taxpayers’ money when I was the chief accountant of the European Commission back in 2002.
But still, Parliament wants to put more money into the EU coffers. Do not count on me ever to vote in favour of any increase in the budget. If you want to subsidise projects to fight the crisis, you should find areas where the budget can be reduced."@en1
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