Misprint typifies the careless abandon with which EU spends our money
OCTOBER 2010: NICK Griffin made a one and a half minute speech in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this afternoon during a debate on Financial Instruments.
Financial instruments are sums of money that are paid to Third World and Emerging Countries for development co-operation and for the promotion of democracy and human rights.
During the speech, Nick was able to take the European Commission to task for a glaring misprint in one of the reports where "2,062 billion euros" slipped past the Eurocrats when it should have been "2,062 million euros".
This is what the MEP for the North West of England had to say:
"Mr President
"As is so often the case with EU proposals, these Financial Instruments include measures which have great emotional appeal.
"All decent people like us want to stop drug smuggling, people trafficking and the supply of small arms to conflict zones.
"But it is very easy to be emotional and generous with other people´s money.
"Thus, while ordinary people in Greece, France, Ireland and Great Britain are having their societies ripped apart by cuts and their backs broken by taxes, the Scholz Report will add 176 million Euros to the 172 million already committed to help Third World capitalists gobble up even more of our jobs.
"The Goerens Report will blow EUR 190M including 17.4 million for a facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries. Dear Colleagues, it may have escaped your attention, but food prices are soaring in our constituencies as well.
"Worst of all, however, is the Branter Report. Here, on page 9, it is stated that the financial envelope for this will be 2,062 billion euros by 2013! Not millions, billions!
"This is, of course, a misprint. Or at least I hope to God it is a misprint. But the fact that such a ridiculous error could slip past all the experts and MEPs who have read this report speaks volumes for the careless abandon with which the European Union spends money.
"This money does not grow on trees. It is not handed out by a giant tooth fairy. It is not the Commissions` money. It is not MEPs` money. It is taxpayers` money - a hugely disproportionate amount of it BRITISH taxpayers` money."
Page 9 of the Branter Report below:
3. Position on the pre- and post-crisis capacity building
Your rapporteur is of the view that the Commission should improve its strategic planning and increase disbursement of money available for the established Peace-Building Partnership (PBP) under Article 4 (3). Financial support should be focused at smaller and medium-sized projects as well as the large ones in a balanced fashion. The Commission is welcome to reorganise its administrative staff in order to enable proper implementation of the budgetary allowances available for measures under this article.
4. Position on the financial amount made available for implementation of the Instrument for Stability
The financial envelope for implementation of the Instrument for Stability (Art. 24) amounts to 2,062 billion euro over the period 2007 to 2013.
However, the financial means reallocated from the Instrument for Stability to the Food Facility over the period 2010 to 2013 have reduced this amount by 240 million euro.
In order to ensure that the European Union has the full financial means available, under Heading 4 of the annual budget, to fulfil its role on the international stage as expected by the citizens of Europe, the rapporteur urges the Commission to present a plan to restore the initial amount as foreseen in the Regulation.
