Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-11-29-Speech-4-017"
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"en.20071129.3.4-017"2
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"Mr despotic President, the rule of law, democracy and control based on the principle of equality would be a bulwark against despotism, yet these are the very things that are lacking here.
This annual report from the European Court of Auditors may, however, be of some help and may yet put some things right. Once again I refer specifically to the facts which, under your responsibility, Mr Weber, have thankfully been placed on record at long last in points 10.9 to 10.12 inclusive. They are a slap on the wrist for the European Parliament. In that part of its report the Court observes that Parliament’s control of Members’ expenditure is extremely inadequate and sets out a catalogue of omissions. What are the practical implications? It means, Mr President, Mr Secretary-General of this House, that undesirable individuals are singled out, Mr Herbert Bösch, that a cowardly report is made to OLAF and then, after years of investigation, it emerges that there was nothing at all – no fraud, absolutely nothing. But here, where there really was something to be found – and you said yourself, Mr Weber, that only 22% of all expenditure was properly processed – nobody looked. And that is despotic behaviour.
People in this House, including the President and the Secretary-General, Mr Rømer, know that at least EUR 80 million in Members’ expenditure is not covered by the proper supporting documentation. Why is that not investigated? Why are appropriate steps not taken? Why are various deadlines continually extended? The things that are happening here – and let me reiterate my thanks to the Court of Auditors for putting their finger on them – lead to a despotic system and to this body here that cannot seriously be described as a parliament. And then those who are responsible take to their heels. This cannot go on.
I make the following appeal to Parliament and to you in the Court of Auditors: please investigate these cases in detail and find a solution. It is a fact that a great deal of real fraud lies below the surface."@en1
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