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| Europe |
| In Europe’s Parliament, a Fondness for the Perks |
| 2004-05-24 |
| Yes, yes. Of course I’m shocked. Hacks are the same worldwide. For all but a handful of its most powerful members, serving in the European Parliament can be a journey into political anonymity. Sometimes anonymity ain’t a bad place to be... But the ride is mighty comfortable. Do tell... The Parliament is increasingly influential, passing laws on issues like agriculture, commerce and the environment, which affect life in 25 countries. Still, turnout for Parliament elections is slumping, and many Europeans cannot identify their representative. But if being one of 732 Parliament members does not assure great power or prominence, it certainly pays in perks. Sounds just like the deal the Mass state reps have... "It’s really like gravy train gone mad," a member from England said privately. It is the same deal Mass state reps have. Take travel expenses. A legislator from Finland can fly round trip to Brussels, where the Parliament meets, for about $240. But under Parliament rules, members are reimbursed at the highest economy price, meaning that a Finnish member could receive about 10 times the cost of the trip. I’m a busy man! Places to go, people to see, expenses to submit! The pension plan is also generous, offering any member over 60 who has served at least five years about $1,500 a month. Nah. That’s chickenfeed... There is no ban on relatives working as Parliament aides, and relatives of at least two dozen members do. There are taxi allowances, free language lessons and daily expense stipends, even on days when no official business is conducted. Most benefits are tax free. Tax free? No kidding? Whether all this bothers Europeans may soon become clear. Beginning June 10, voters from Ireland in the west to Latvia and Lithuania in the east will cast ballots for the Parliament, in the first election since the European Union accepted 10 new countries earlier this month. Issues like trade and immigration have surfaced during the campaign, but so has the Parliament’s smorgasbord of perks. Some see the benefits as threatening the European Union’s bid for legitimacy as a continentwide force. The union, said Michiel van Hulten, a member from the Netherlands, needs "institutions that citizens have faith in." "This is a fight for the survival of the continent! We’ve got to protect our phony baloney jobs here!" There’s an explanation for all the perks, but will it play in Paris or Prague? The benefits, which cost taxpayers more than $100 million a year, are intended to equalize legislators’ salaries, which are determined by their individual countries and vary widely. When the benefits are added up, according to payroll and expense records obtained by The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune, a Parliament member on the low end of the pay scale, who earns $40,000 a year, can bring in benefits worth three times that. Tell the voters it’s, "for the children". That goes over big here. If voters are angry, it is perhaps in no small measure because of Hans-Peter Martin and his concealed minicam. Mr. Martin, a member from Austria, has surreptitiously filmed his colleagues using the benefits system and talking candidly about it — most expansively at a meeting of Socialist members in December. Hey, just because we’re Socialists doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make a few bucks. Power to the people! Pass it on... "I’m telling you, if we don’t reform the expenses system, it will crucify us once again at the next election," warned Eluned Morgan of Wales. Another member, Bill Miller of Scotland, said the system had to be brought under control. "I’ve been accused of being greedy," he said. "I’ve been accused of being a parasite. I’ve been accused of being a leech. And that’s just by members of my own political party." ...and I almost cry everytime I fill out my expense account. Waiter! More wine! The grainy videos are marked by awkward camera angles — midsections, double chins and ceiling shots are common — but Mr. Martin gets people to talk. In videotapes provided to The Times and The Herald Tribune, a Finnish legislator, Reino Paasilinna, said it would be difficult to leave Parliament for another job because he would lose half his income. "It’s almost 20,000 a month," he said, referring to euros. "And there isn’t any taxation." Not to mention the "no heavy lifting" clause. It’s in there somewhere... Mr. Martin also taped a tradition known as "Strasbourg Fridays." One week a month, the legislature meets in Strasbourg, the French city where Europe’s union began. Although no meetings are usually scheduled on Fridays, members can collect a daily $314 stipend simply by signing in. Some members race to register at the Parliament office, which opens at 8 a.m., before dashing to the airport. Nice work if you can get it. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #2 Bill Miller : I’ve been accused of being a leech. Humphrey Bogart is dead, so he has to suck on the British taxpayer. I feel sorry for them. And people wonder why this minor party, UKIP (elsewhere today) is getting towards major status in the UK? |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-05-24 12:58:39 PM |
| #1 There is no ban on relatives working as Parliament aides, and relatives of at least two dozen members do. There are taxi allowances, free language lessons and daily expense stipends, even on days when no official business is conducted. Most benefits are tax free. ... "I’ve been accused of being a parasite. I’ve been accused of being a leech. And that’s just by members of my own political party." This guy needs to listen to his fellow pol I'd wager that this serves as a decent explanation for why Europe is such an economic powerhouse today. It sounds like what would happen if the Teamsters' Union Management got into European politics. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-05-24 11:58:46 AM |