By Martin Banks - 1st November 2011
We tolerate and in fact endorse possible fraud
Marta Andreasen
UKIP deputy Marta Andreasen has criticised parliament's decision to grant discharge – or sign off – the 2009 accounts of the European Police College (CEPOL).
The college, based in the south east of England, has been the subject of severe criticism by some deputies.
In 2009, the European Court of Auditors was brought in to investigate sums of unaccounted taxpayers' money at the institution and subsequently its then chairman was removed from office over the irregularities in the accounts.
MEPs had in fact refused to sign off accounts for the college for over a year amid a growing scandal over the "private use of public funds".
Deputies had said they were concerned that misuse of funding could be "higher" than previously thought at the EU agency, which has been hosted at the famous British police training college in Bramshill since 2005.
It trains police officers in the latest crime-busting techniques.
EU anti-fraud investigators, Olaf, were also called in after CEPOL admitted to using funding to buy staff furniture, mobile phones and to pay for a free car service.
Andreasen, a member of the budgetary control committee, was critical of parliament's decision last week to sign off the 2009 accounts, saying, "I recently visited the college and 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 that whatever progress he makes will only affect the 2010 accounts.
"We are doing a massive disservice to the new team's efforts by granting discharge for 2009. It beggars belief that parliament was willing to sign off on accounts that were red-carded by auditors over irregularities.
"Where is the scrutiny? 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."
She added, "The approval this parliament gives to EU institutions on the management of taxpayers' money has become a joke."
"We were elected to scrutinise and protect our people's interests. Yet year after year the biggest part of the budget – the European commission's – is riddled with irregularities. Yet this parliament is happy to grant discharge to it.
"Yet when it comes to the European council, parliament refuses discharge even if the auditors make no criticism at all about this institution's financial management."
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