European Parliament questions overabundance of MEP assistants

Acting upon a notification by the European Parliament administration and in respect of the EP Rules of Procedures, President Martin Schulz on the 9 March 2015 informed the European fraud-fighting office OLAF of possible financial irregularities by the French party Front National. The possible irregularities concerned salaries paid from the EU budget to assistants to Members of the European Parliament.

EurActiv reported on the 2 April 2015 that the Paris Public Prosecutor had opened a preliminary investigation into the assistants of the National Front in the European Parliament. However it was considered that it was possible could be widened to other countries as well where MEPs were known to employ large numbers of Assistants. The European Court of Auditors had already expressed concern over the high number of parliamentary assistants employed.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: EP refers alleged French National Front financial irregularities to OLAF http://www.europeansources.info/record/ep-refers-alleged-french-national-front-financial-irregularities-to-olaf/

European Parliament: Assistants accredited to the European Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/assistants.html

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