Brussels too must make some sacrifices

All European countries with the exception of Malta and one or two others had to include harsh and painful measures in their Budget estimates for the coming year to address their great economic problems. These measures include pensions and pay deductions, redundancies, increases in VAT rates, freezing of wages, deduction of children’s allowance, increase in university fees etc.

Though everyone agrees these moves are necessary to address the present economic situation of each individual country, they will have a marked effect on the normal lives of the ordinary citizen. For thousands these measures will mean a lower standard of living and great sacrifices.

Thanks to the wise way followed by our government we do not have to go through all this tribulation, though we are feeling the pinch too in a much smaller way. Certainly, we have to be on our guard and be prudent in our actions lest we meet the same fate.

Here one cannot fail to notice that while the citizens of the EU are asked to make sacrifices, the fat cats at Brussels continue to enjoy their full pay plus perks and had even the cheek to ask for a nine per cent increase in administrative cost on top of the €8.3 billion they already have.

Naturally, European Prime Ministers who have to face the music at home refused their request but still agreed to give them a 2.9 per cent increase.

Fairness dictates the burden should be shouldered by all and the people at Brussels should have been the first to set the example by making the same sacrifices as other European citizens.