Questions for our European friends.

[MaxJoker]

Originally Posted by palo5

If you didn't have a name like MaxJoker...

Actually, MEPs are not allowed to earn more than national MPs of the state they come from, so if MEPs are millionaires after a single term, so are your own MPs. Even more so actually, because your MPs normally have 5-year terms, against 4-year terms for MEPs

Actually.
You`re wrong there I`m afraid Comrade
When you factor in the practically limitless expenses and extras they`re allowed to claim on top of the £84,000 wage.
Expenses and extras which just with how the EU spends "It`s" money , are never monitored and barely tip of the iceberg reported.
Yes if you factor in that , then your average typically corrupt MEP can rapidly become a millionaire.
For random example take Richard Howitt , former MEP of Essex South . Who by 2004 (Six years after being gifted the position) went from owning one simple home to owning five luxurious ones and wearing only silk suits.
The lousy rubber stamping parasite
Anyway , I`ll say no more on unjust politics.
Such foul realities piss me off and can find no humour in it

[palo5]

Originally Posted by MaxJoker

Actually.
You`re wrong there I`m afraid Comrade
When you factor in the practically limitless expenses and extras they`re allowed to claim on top of the £84,000 wage.
Expenses and extras which just with how the EU spends "It`s" money , are never monitored and barely tip of the iceberg reported.
Yes if you factor in that , then your average typically corrupt MEP can rapidly become a millionaire

Well, as you point out, they'd have to be corrupt to do that, and it's by no means limited to MEPs. You know this, because the UK had its own MPs' expenses scandal a few years ago, not to mention cash-for-questions

The odd thing about MEPs' expenses is that the system is designed to be gamed. Yes, it is, really. But for a good reason: MEPs are not allowed to earn more than their national MPs, because the European Parliament and its Members are not supposed to be "superior" to national Parliaments

Sounds fair enough, and it's a good rule for richer Members. But what if you're Latvian or Lithuanian etc, your own MPs have a very low salary in comparison, you aren't allowed to get more than them... but you have to live in high-cost Brussels? How are they supposed to live -- 10 to a room?

That's why they have this not-clean solution, and it relies on MEPs from richer countries being honest. We can see there's abuse. But one day the poorer Members will be richer, their national MPs will be paid more, and so will their MEPs. That's when they plan to change the expense system

[haroldeye]

Originally Posted by palo5

Well, as you point out, they'd have to be corrupt to do that, and it's by no means limited to MEPs. You know this, because the UK had its own MPs' expenses scandal a few years ago, not to mention cash-for-questions

The odd thing about MEPs' expenses is that the system is designed to be gamed. Yes, it is, really. But for a good reason: MEPs are not allowed to earn more than their national MPs, because the European Parliament and its Members are not supposed to be "superior" to national Parliaments

Sounds fair enough, and it's a good rule for richer Members. But what if you're Latvian or Lithuanian etc, your own MPs have a very low salary in comparison, you aren't allowed to get more than them... but you have to live in high-cost Brussels? How are they supposed to live -- 10 to a room?

That's why they have this not-clean solution, and it relies on MEPs from richer countries being honest. We can see there's abuse. But one day the poorer Members will be richer, their national MPs will be paid more, and so will their MEPs. That's when they plan to change the expense system

Really Palo! You think that they will change the system. Do you still believe in fairies and flying pigs?

[Melchior]

Originally Posted by MaxJoker

o.


Who said you didn't

By the way , the thanks button is located to the lower right of each post.
Albeit under this extremely confusing tile = .

You`re welcome

Nobody i just said it.

I know where the butten is. And at some point i will use it but not today.

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Really Palo! You think that they will change the system. Do you still believe in fairies and flying pigs?

Oh no Palo just thinks that everything the Russian media puts out is gospel, oh excuse me, is dogma.

[palo5]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Really Palo! You think that they will change the system. Do you still believe in fairies and flying pigs?

I never believed in fairies & flying pigs. But yes, sooner or later they'll have to. They wouldn't need a new rule, actually. All they'd have to do is start looking at receipts and doing plausibility checks