Brussels, 11/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The leader of the ALDE Group at the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, sent a letter on 10 April to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, criticising the Greek Parliament's decision to make huge cash payments to established Greek political parties ahead of the 6 May general elections.
In the letter, Verhofstadt says that media reports indicate that some €29 million has been approved for a handful of parties, allocated in terms of how many votes they received at the previous elections and to be paid ahead of the 6 May elections. He asks why on earth the two biggest parties, which are largely responsible for the country's bad situation, should be bailed out by taxpayers. He says it would be much fairer for the public spending cuts forced on ordinary Greeks, many of whom have seen their income slashed, to apply also to politicians and political parties.
Verhofstadt says the payments will provide established political parties with a huge
advantage in the elections. The parties in question are in debt and owe millions to staff and the Greek government. (LC/transl.fl)