MEP expenses - merdé finally hits the fan

international | eu | other press Friday June 24, 2011 02:32 by Transparencyfirst

After a three-year legal battle an Irish lawyer, Ciaran Toland, has forced the release of a 2008 internal report into MEP expenses. The European Court of Justice has ruled that there was an "overriding public interest in disclosure".

According to the Galvin Report some EU politicians claimed up to €180,000 in staff allowances without proof and awarded staff bonuses of up to nineteen and a half times their monthly salary. They also diverted their £125,000-a-year allowances for secretaries and research assistants into family-owned businesses, foreign bank accounts and "front" companies.

Toland is quoted as saying: “The parliament has been on the forefront of transparency and the promotion of transparency for 20 years. It is regrettable that when it has to do with their own Parliamentary Assistance Alliance, they take a contrary view.”

Details at links-

Europe braced for MEPs' expenses storm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/europe-b....html

Parliament witholds details of MEPs expenses
http://thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/06/15/allegations...buse/

Climbdown as MEPs' abuse of expenses is finally revealed
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/climbdow....html