Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer has warned that plans to cut the amount of money allocated to spending in the Balkans next year could jeopardise the Union’s policy in the region

Date: 20/07/2000

Schreyer said this week that limiting spending to €600 million, instead of the €800 million proposed by the European Commission, would be a "serious political mistake". She also attacked calls from budget ministers for the funds set aside to assistance programmes for Mediterranean countries to be cut by 25%. "This would not allow us to continue our political commitments," she warned. Schreyer said she hoped that the European Parliament would fight the reductions proposed by ministers.