End the Strasbourg Financial 'Circus'

Friday 7 July 2006

Beyond a joke: Conservatives demand answers on revelations that the European Parliament is to spend £100 million to stay in Strasbourg just as EU auditor reveals up to €100 million overpaid to the city in rent scandal

EU auditors reported that the City of Strasbourg has taken up to €100 million more than it should from the European Parliament’s rent budget. At the same time Conservative MEPs were shocked to learn that the Parliament President Josep Borrell has been trying to negotiate the purchase of the Strasbourg parliamentary buildings for a further €136 million in defiance of increasing opposition.

Conservative MEP's, intent on ending the wasteful Strasbourg 'circus', have today written to the Parliament President Josep Borrell demanding full disclosure of his negotiations to buy the Parliament buildings from the City of Strasbourg, alleging that he is steamrollering through an expensive and controversial folly without seeking the authority of Parliament's budget control committee and ignoring completely the continuing scandal of rent overpayment. A Price Waterhouse Coopers report has estimated the rent overspend at €60 million whilst an internal Parliament audit considers that the overspend on rent over thirty years is even greater at 'up to €100 million'*. Both figures are far higher than the original overspend estimate of €32 million.

Timothy Kirkhope MEP, leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament said:

“The Strasbourg saga goes from the sublime to the ridiculous to the downright scandalous. Why is the European Parliament seriously considering paying £100 million of taxpayers money to a city which has already pocketed up to €100 million too much for a building no-one needs?

"It is very suspicious. Even the responsible Parliamentary committee** have said in a letter to Josep Borrell that they 'learned with surprise that Parliament continues to pursue the negotiation' and demanded transparency from him which they have not received.

"Together with colleagues in the European Parliament and the 770,000 EU citizens who have signed the www.oneseat.eu petition. We believe that the Strasbourg site is a symbol of waste and inefficiency in a Europe that is crying out for reform. We will not stop in our resolve to stop Strasbourg.

"We have kept the UK Government fully informed throughout this saga but they have done absolutely nothing at any level."

In their letter to the Parliament President the Conservatives said:

"We must therefore advise you that to proceed with the purchase is unacceptable but to attempt to do so without first obtaining the all clear from the auditor is both reckless, irresponsible and democratically dubious. We demand that purchase negotiations are terminated and a full disclosure of those negotiations are revealed to the Parliament. We remind you that, as President of the Parliament, you must bear full responsibility."

ENDS