Brussels, 09/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has criticised the preliminary draft budget 2009 presented on 6 May, and has taken on an ambitious mandate ahead of discussions with the member states, scheduled for 17 July, before the first reading of the Council. In its adoption by a large majority (570 votes in favour, 49 against and 72 abstentions), in Strasbourg on Tuesday 8 July, of the report by Jutta Haug (PES, Germany), the EP expresses its surprise at the "extremely...