International

SP-Euro-MP Dennis de Jong is against the increase in the staff allowance for Euro-MPs approved yesterday by the European Parliament Budget Committee. In De Jong’s view such a rise in times when austerity is being imposed everywhere else is indefensible. He points to the enormous amounts of money already available for reimbursement of office expenses, noting that he had returned €30,000 to the Parliament from this fund. ‘I call on all MEPs to do the same and to show that they are able to use taxpayers’ money with care,’ he says.

De Jong consistently votes against any and all spending increases and has brought forward proposals aimed at reducing costs, such as the possibility of holding two plenary sessions in a single week in Strasbourg in the September and October of 2012 and 2013, rather than the usual practice of holding the sessions ins separate weeks. This would avoid needless travel and save €5 million. This proposal will be voted on at next week’s Strasbourg session.

The SP is in any case opposed to this ridiculous and extravagant monthly removal from Brussels to Strasbourg, which costs more than €200 million per year. “I would think that the heads of the member states governments, if they want to talk about making savings, would begin by finding creative solutions to this farcical circus,” says De Jong.