MEPs reject publication of expenses enquiry

MEPs have controversially voted against publication of a report by parliament’s internal auditor which is said to contain evidence of widespread abuse of funds intended to be used to pay their staff.

Deputies in Strasbourg rejected proposals for the auditors' report to be made public.

They also rejected calls backed by the European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros for the names of the 407-member voluntary pension fund to be made public.

Parliament pays €27,720 each year into the pension fund of the members concerned, and they are supposed to make a private contribution of a further €13,860 each year.

However, it is believed that a significant number of MEPs pay their personal contributions from money allocated for their parliamentary duties - a practice described as "embezzlement" by UK Liberal MEP Chris Davies.

Davies, who earlier this year revealed the existence of the auditors' report, described Tuesday’s votes as "shameful".

He said: "This vote brings discredit and dishonour upon the entire parliament.

“Far from cleaning up their act, a majority of MEPs seem intent on allowing greed and self-interest to triumph over the proper financial management of public money.

"On today's performance Europe's taxpayers could be forgiven for believing that there are more honest people to be found in prison than sit amongst this parliament.

"Political parties in each member state must now take the initiative and insist that no candidate stands in next year's European elections unless they are pledged to support reform."

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