A number of weeks ago, I submitted a question to the European Commission to intervene in the case of alleged mis-use of EU regional funds in Latvia.
In a parliamentary question to the executive, I asked the commission to investigate claims that Latvia has ‘not respected’ EU rules in the distribution of European Regional Development Funds.
The story was covered online by The Parliament magazine website, and you can see the full story here.
Well the story has made the press in Latvia itself, and the issue will be discussed in Latvian Parliament on the 6th February 2013.
Here is a clipping of the article I am featured in:
I tweeted this morning about the news that will filter out of the European Parliament today:
Current president Jerzy Buzek will finish his term in the Parliament, with Schulz taking over the role for the next 30 month stint.
Schulz has been an MEP since 1994 and is planning to make his role more political.
The whole notion that this is being voted on is nothing short of farcical. Schulz's appointment as President is guaranteed due to a deal being brokered between two of the EP's biggest groups - The European People's Party (EPP) and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
The two groups hold enough MEP's to be able to form a majority to assure Schulz's win. The agreement meant that the five year period was split down the middle, with the outgoing Jerzy Busek taking the first 30 months and incoming Schulz taking the last 30 months.
Mr Schulz is being opposed by two MEPs, Nirj Deva and Diana Wallis, but it seems highly unlikly that they have any chance of being voted in today due to the strength of this deal.
It is also interesting that Mr Schulz was a vocal supporter of Cathy Ashton, someone I often debate with in Parliament. Schulz's approval of Cathy Ashton can be seen on this link http://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/gpes/public/detail.htm?id=133315§ion=NER&category=NEWS&request_locale=EN
Borrowing from Bankrupts
By Marta Devon on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 - 06:11
In response to a formal question, the European Commission has admitted that it has "No financial reserves...". Nikki Sinclaire, independent MEP for the West Midlands, was shocked by the revelation. It took the EU Commission a full month to come up with an answer. Nikki Sinclaire's question to the Commission on financial reserves (P-000290/11) was submitted on Jan 14th 2011. The official response from the Commission was received on Feb 16th.
"The Commission has actually admitted to me that neither it, nor the other EU institutions, have any financial reserves, and are effectively living from hand to mouth" Ms Sinclair added continuing that "in the event of member states failing to make their contributions on time, the EU institutions could find themselves unable to meet their considerable financial commitments."
This is in the context of an economic crisis, where certain member states are actually being bailed out by the EU, and with others looking likely to follow suit" she said. "Belgium, for example, is the home of the EU institutions, and its national debt has risen to 100% of GDP. It is effectively a bankrupt nation"
- Nikki Sinclaire, MEP
Article 12 of the Council Regulation 1150/2000, however, allows for the Commission to spend money borrowed against future income.
"It is a really perverse business plan that depends on being able to borrow from bankrupts", concluded Ms Sinclaire.
Read article here
http://www.euchronicle.eu/borrowing-bankrupts
