North
East Conservative MEP, Martin Callanan, has today hit out at the European
Parliament’s plan to hold an extravagant 2-day party to mark the proposed
European Constitution.
The event, to be held in Strasbourg on Tuesday and Wednesday (11th and 12th
January), is to cost Euros 375,000 and will happen after the Parliament votes
to rubberstamp the Constitution. A staggering £75,000 will be spent
by the Commission on inviting and accommodating journalists to the event
in order for it to have the “maximum media exposure”. All this
despite the ongoing tragedy in South East Asia where an estimated 150,000
people have perished and many thousands left without basic food, water or
shelter.
Martin Callanan said:
“
Isn’t it sickening that at a time when we are desperately trying to
help the countless thousands devastated by the Tsunami disaster in South
East Asia, aided by over £100million worth of donated cash from generous
Brits, the European Parliament will spend over £250,000 on a party
for a Constitution that isn’t even ratified yet by most member states!
'I have worked out that £250,000 will pay for 2 and a half million
litres of water to be purified using standard water purification tablets.
Surely this is a more pressing use of money than blowing it on expensive
champagne and canapés for self-important bureaucrats.
Martin continued:
'To compound this inappropraite use of taxpayers' money it clearly demonstrates the complete lack of seriousness with which the Brussels elite view the democratic processes of the member states of the EU.
'It is no wonder that this is the case when you consider how willingly Tony Blair signed the Treaty on the European Constitution last October, despite the obvious concerns of the British public.
'The fact remains that if any one of the nations that is holding a referendum, such as UK, France, Spain, Portugal or the Netherlands, reject the proposal then the whole constitution package collapses. It is perhaps a little premature, to say nothing of distasteful, for the champions of this grandiose scheme to be quaffing champagne before the people of Europe have had their say.'
