Greens hit out at 'irresponsible' increase for MEPs' assistants

The budget committee of the European Parliament yesterday voted to further increase the budget for MEPs' assistants , with MEPs from the socialist and EPP group supporting the increase.

In a statement, Alternattiva Demokratika said the decision will increase the EP's overall budget by €13.2 million per year (€1,500 per month per MEP).

The European Greens have criticised the vote. "Voting to increase the budget for MEPs' assistants at a time of austerity and budgetary cutbacks across Europe is wrong. The socialist-centre right coalition that has voted to support this increase is clearly out of touch with fiscal realities and has failed to grasp that the budgetary restraints across Europe imply responsible decisions on EU budgets as well," budgetary spokesperson and draftsperson for the EP's 2011 budget Helga Trüpel said. 
 
"This irresponsible vote sends completely the wrong signal and risks seriously damaging public perception of the European Parliament. In this period of budgetary constraint, MEPs need to realise that they simply cannot vote to systematically increase spending for new budget lines without reducing spending in other areas."