By Martin Banks - 4th October 2011
What kind of signal does this send?
Marta Andreasen
Parliament has granted discharge for the 2009 accounts of the European Police College (CEPOL).
In 2009, the European Court of Auditors was brought in to investigate sums of unaccounted taxpayers' money at the UK-based institution, resulting in its then chairman being removed from office.
The budgetary control committee decision to grant discharge on Monday was given a guarded welcome by Marta Andreasen, a UKIP MEP and member of the committee.
Speaking after the vote, she said, "I am probably the only MEP on the committee to have visited the police college. I met the new chairman and his management team.
"Whilst I was reassured that every effort is now being made to treat taxpayers' money with respect, I made it clear to the new chairman that whatever progress he makes will only affect the 2010 accounts.
"We are doing a disservice to the new team's efforts by granting discharge for 2009. It beggars belief that the committee is willing to sign off on accounts that were hitherto red-carded by auditors over irregularities.
"What kind of signal does this send not only to taxpayers, but to the CEPOL? It seems that the EU answer is to say we don't care about your money or your efforts. We tolerate and in fact endorse possible fraud."
Meanwhile, Andreasen has also hit out at the publication of an EU report on alleged fraud of EU funds in member states.
The commission report claims more cases of 'irregularities' are being detected because greater controls are in place.
But Andreasen, a former commission chief accountant, was critical, saying, "It tries to dress failure in a mantle of success. This is the worst kind of spin from the European commission.
"Irregularities – or fraud to give it it's proper title – is on the rise because the commission still does not have adequate checks in place to prevent it.
"Not all their money can be properly accounted for. The failure of the Court of Auditors to give their accounts a clean bill of health for almost two decades attests to this.
"It is the worst sort of deception to try and pretend otherwise."
