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You are here: Home News European News Politicians across Europe play expenses games
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14/05/2009Politicians across Europe play expenses games

The European Union and European parliament has long been mocked as a ‘gravy train’ by eurosceptics.

Paris -- British MPs are in shame over their expenses, but politicians across Europe have been caught out making dubious use of public money.

Eight deputies from Belgium's Wallonia region were pressured to refund 80,000 euros claimed for a "fact-finding" trip to the southwest United States last month. Some took along their spouses.

Mona Sahlin resigned as Sweden's deputy prime minister after it was revealed she had used her state-issued credit card for personal expenses -- including Toblerone chocolate bars and babies nappies -- when she was minister of labour and employment in 1990-1991.

She took a three-year time out from politics, but is now leader of the opposition Social Democrats.

The European Union and European parliament has long been mocked as a "gravy train" by eurosceptics.

Euro MPs can claim up to 17,540 euros a month for an assistant, plus 4,202 euros for general expenses in their home country and maximum travel allowance of 4,148 euros a month.

Last year the senior British Conservative Euro MP, Giles Chichester, resigned after it emerged that he had paid his parliamentary assistance allowance into a family-owned firm.

Each of the 27 EU member states and the European parliament, has their own guidelines for reimbursing expenses.

In Italy, members of the Chamber of Deputies get 4,003 euros a month as an expense allowance on top of their gross salary of 11,703 euros a month and 4,190 euros for their staff and "contacts with voters".

That said, their domestic rail, air and ferry travel is free, as are motorway tolls. Going to the cinema and theatre is gratis as well. For trips abroad, they get a yearly lump sum of 3,328 euros.

In Austria, there are no lump sums, only reimbursement against receipts for travel, office supplies, telecoms and staff. Expensing a wardrobe or a trip to the barber is out of the question.

In Norway, deputies get a studio apartment in Oslo if their main home is more than 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the capital, plus a weekly air or train ticket.

French National Assembly members get 5,837 euros a month for expenses in their bank accounts each month, which according to prime ministerial guidelines must be spent "in a manner related to fulfilling the mandate".

Other perks include free rail tickets, a limited number of free air tickets, free meals, up to five fixed or mobile telephone lines, and loans to help acquire a residence or office.

In Greece, former education minister Evripidis Stylianidis reportedly spent 19,000 euros on a trip to Paris in October, then more than 20,000 euros on a trip to Bordeaux, France for an EU ministerial meeting in November.

He said the Paris trip -- when France held the EU presidency -- was covered by protocol and that the costs took care of a seven-member delegation. He was satirised in press reports, but suffered no ill-effects beyond that.

AFP/Expatica


1 reaction to this article

Global for me posted: 2009-05-28 15:42:35

Do you want a journalist to investigate that story and produce a report FOR YOU? Then tell us (info@globalradionews.com) and we'll do that! Please see our website http://www.globalfm.com/

Here is the story: MP's expenses scandal in the UK - so what's up in the rest of Europe?

How does the GERMAN political class gets remunerated, how are expenses checked and approved and by whom?

What happens in the rest of Europe and at the European parliament?

In the light of the recent scandal in the UK, is this something everybody needs to look at?

Some people interested? Get your networks involved, if it's important to YOU, it's important to them. Then vote for the story on http://www.globalfm.com/Stories/Story/sid;47/MP_s_expenses_scandal_in_the_UK_so_what_s_up_in_the_rest_of_Europe/

...and if enough people, some of the best journalists in the business will produce it, FOR YOU!

Do you feel the media is ignoring a story that is close to your heart? You can send us your ideas! http://www.globalfm.com/About_Us/Ideas/

GFM wants to empower its users to instigate professional journalistic coverage of stories, issues and current affairs that are not already available through conventional news sources or which, in your view, require more detailed attention.

1 reaction to this article

Global for me posted: 2009-05-28 15:42:35

Do you want a journalist to investigate that story and produce a report FOR YOU? Then tell us (info@globalradionews.com) and we'll do that! Please see our website http://www.globalfm.com/

Here is the story: MP's expenses scandal in the UK - so what's up in the rest of Europe?

How does the GERMAN political class gets remunerated, how are expenses checked and approved and by whom?

What happens in the rest of Europe and at the European parliament?

In the light of the recent scandal in the UK, is this something everybody needs to look at?

Some people interested? Get your networks involved, if it's important to YOU, it's important to them. Then vote for the story on http://www.globalfm.com/Stories/Story/sid;47/MP_s_expenses_scandal_in_the_UK_so_what_s_up_in_the_rest_of_Europe/

...and if enough people, some of the best journalists in the business will produce it, FOR YOU!

Do you feel the media is ignoring a story that is close to your heart? You can send us your ideas! http://www.globalfm.com/About_Us/Ideas/

GFM wants to empower its users to instigate professional journalistic coverage of stories, issues and current affairs that are not already available through conventional news sources or which, in your view, require more detailed attention.

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