Christian Peregin
Money spent on EU offices 'essential, not extravagant'
The think-tank claiming EU offices are a "waste of taxpayers' money" is a highly Eurosceptic group of people funded by big business and out to "dilute" the EU, according to the head of the European Parliament Representation Office in Malta.
Julian Vassallo criticised the claims made by Open Europe but insisted every euro spent by the EU should be scrutinised carefully by everyone who had Europe at heart.
There was already a great deal of scrutiny in the EU and the money being spent on extra offices was not "enormous" or "excessive". About €41 million were used to build some 35 EU offices in various countries, amounting to just 8c per citizen, he said.
EU offices, such as the recently-inaugurated Europe House in St Paul Street, Valletta, were essential for the democratic function: to enable citizens to get information from their own country in their own language. "How would these people feel if there weren't such offices," he asked.
Open Europe's comments came just days after the official opening of Europe House that hosts the representation offices of the European Commission and the European Parliament. The building and its renovation cost EU taxpayers about €5 million. "But I don't think that is extravagant," Dr Vassallo said.
He said the EP office in Malta had a smaller annual budget than the salary of a European Commissioner, which was about €240,000. The vast majority of EU money was given to member states, not used by European institutions, and every cent spent had to be approved through a very strict process, which became stricter with time.
According to Open Europe, set up by some of the UK's leading business people to contribute "bold new thinking" to the debate about the EU's direction, the EP offices are not providing any important services not already provided by Brussels.
Open Europe said that only last year, the EP spent €41 million for "inefficient European Parliament information offices", which have a total of 237 full-time staff, each costing the taxpayer €173,124 a year. According to the think-tank, EP officials in these offices are paid on average €74,046 a year each.
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Robert Scullion
Nov 18th 2009, 14:38
@John Spiteri
"'..perhaps he would care to answer why the EU auditors for the 15th consecutive year failed to sign off the whole of the EU accounts."
Explanation of the EU Audit
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6078982.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Court_of_Auditors#Declaration_of_Assurance
J Farrugia
Nov 18th 2009, 14:38
yes i agree 100 +1 ways to waste european citizens' tax money. First by giving 3 MEP their salaries just for obstructing Malta's entry to the EU, and now for giving another unwanted salary to the 4th MEP to waste his time away in Brussell givng Malta a further bad name. What a real waste of funds, giving salaries to those whose only aim in life is to damage Malta and the Eu as well.
lgalea
Nov 18th 2009, 14:06
Open Europe
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/
Fifty ways to waste your money
John Spiteri
Nov 18th 2009, 10:32
And who in his right mind would have expected Mr. Vassallo to state otherwise. He's in on the game and lives off it.
perhaps he would care to answer why the EU auditors for the 15th consecutive year failed to sign off the whole of the EU accounts.
And what is "dilute" the EU supposed to mean? perhaps making it more transparent, accountable and god forbid more democratic?
as for big business, Brussels is the biggest lobbying house for rent seekers the world over. Why does Mr. Vassallo think that the CEOs of the likes of Ryan Air and Intel campaigned for a yes vote in Ireland?