By Martin Banks - 19th March 2010
At this time, the EU should use its budget to assist the economic recovery, not to pay for circuses and poetry
Emma McClarkin
Eurosceptic MEPs have criticised the EU's new provisional cultural programme.
They say €400m earmarked for the programme is "wasteful" at a time of economic cutbacks in many parts of Europe.
Among the proposed projects, with a budget of €200,000, is a "wind festival" which is designed to promote the use of the church organ.
The project coordinators say it is designed to "address the overall need to renew organ repertory".
Another scheme is the "Project of Generosity" which has also been earmarked to receive €200,000.
This is designed to find a universal "language to communicate values".
The "Poetry Reaching Out" project will receive €198,000 and is supposed to "enable the art of poetry to reach out to the broader audience in both the social and artistic sense".
Conservative culture spokesman Emma McClarkin said, "At this time, the EU should use its budget to assist the economic recovery, not to pay for circuses and poetry.
"If national governments want to use taxpayers' money on cultural projects that is their choice but British taxpayers should not have to fork out in a vain attempt to create a common European identity.
"The EU's budget is in need of serious reform to make it smaller and better focused on the priorities of the people. I don't think many people would describe these projects as worthwhile ways to spend their money."
Ukip deputy Godfrey Bloom described the amount earmarked for the programme as a "disgrace".
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.