I see that the BBC gives great prominence to the decision taken by the EU to suspend largesse to Bulgaria worth hundreds of millions of euros because of concerns about corruption and organised crime. Oddly enough one has to scroll back to November of last year to read that the EU’s own annual financial accounts had still to be signed off, for the 13 year in a row. Likely neglect and corruption have been quoted as prime reasons for not passing the EU accounts, and now the EU is unhappy with Bulgarian corruption! I wonder why the BBC sees no reason to share the wider context of the widespread corruption that typifies the entire EU bureaucracy, not just hapless Bulgaria and Romania.
DO AS I SAY.
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Corruption in Bulgaria and in the EU. Isn’t that a bit like saying what’s worse, shit or vomit?
One may lead to the other..
Mr Vance makes an excellent point. As far as I can see, corruption is rife throughout much of southern Europe and yet the BBC is virtually mute on the subject.
It reminds me how the Poles are fair game for the BBC when it seeks to prove it has the courage to discuss immigration, but no one is allowed to mention the P-word, on air.
Hi G.Cooper,
I think you may have misread David’s central point. He is lamenting that the BBC did not state again that the EU’s financial accounts have not being signed off for 13 years in a row.
Incidentally, Bulgaria and Romania are Southern European countries.
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eu.htm
On your last point, are you suggesting that polish immigration is discussed on the BBC website but not on Radio and TV?
Gunnar writes: “I think you may have misread David’s central point.”
I have misunderstood nothing and you are trolling – as always.
When it comes to discussing EU corruption, the BBC is virtually mute. If you check on the Today website, for example – a resonable yardstick of the degree of interest in EU affairs – the topic of the 13 years of corrupt accounts warranted only one report on November 13 last year, the day the acounts were published. It was by lardy Mark Mardell and he went to Greece on a jolly to ‘investigate’ (have a chat with)a few olive farmers who were allegedly planting fictitious olive trees and claiming back for them.
He (and Today) thus succeeded in both playing down the level of the problem and divorcing it from the UK and wider EU context. It was the Greek oilve farmers – not a whole corrupt bureacracy spending billions of pounds of our money with reckless, systematic disregard for basic accounting principles.
And so it is with Bulgaria. For the BBC, it’s an isolated southern/eastern European problem, with no relevance to the corrupt Brussels fat cats who know only one thing – how to manage the next power grab.
For intelligent, critical analysis of the European Union, refer to ‘Euro referendum blogspot’, for e.g. this report on EU and Bulgaria:
“Part of our government”
http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2008/07/part-of-our-government.html
the last eu accounts publication was reported in the usual way.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7092102.stm
“The BBC’s Jonny Dymond in Brussels says it is clear is that huge strides have been made in controlling the way that money is spent by the EU.”
so that’s ok then. as you were. i am sure jonny dymond is a fully qualified accountant and has checked every receipt himself before committing himself to such a statement.
The fraud must be so widespread and common-place that even the EU “colleagues” find it distasteful and beyond labelling as a minor accounts problem.
The fraud must be so widespread and common-place that even the EU “colleagues” find it distasteful
No, they are just bullies. They pick on little Bulgaria, like they armtwist the Irish and the Danes, because they don’t have the guts to take on France, Italy, Germany etc.
Spain continues to ignore EU rulings re land grab laws yet has never received as much as a slap on the wrist. I suggest corruption is that country is as rife as in Bulgaria, but they are seen as good members of the EU.
Meanwhile if the EU tells GB to jump we simply ask how high.
Who are the mugs?
Here’s an interesting spin on “BBC English”. Yesterday, Eddie Mair on PM was pained to say “10 Million Euro”. Spot the missing ‘s’.
Why so? Because the euro-stasi have legislated that the plural of “euro” is “euro”. Fantastic, now I can rebel every time I open my mouth!
gunnar and GCooper,
There was an entire episode of the infamous “White” series called “Here Come The Poles”. It was not critical of the Polish immigrants, but rather contrasted their apparent integrity and work ethic with the shiftless, lazy, indigenous British yobs who wouldn’t do the work for the same wages.
So, gunnar is right to question a statement that the BBC doesn’t like to mention the Poles on air. However, considering the actual way the BBC mentions them, GCooper is essentially correct.
Also, gunnar, it’s nice to see you agreeing with DV for a change. This one is beyond question, as “considering the larger context” is always the BBC defense for a single biased report.
Only a wanker who smokes pot would think great strides have been made in the EU accounting procedure.
Oh hang on….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-527395/Top-BBC-reporter-fined-airport-cannabis-arrest-wont-sacked.html
Regarding the EU not having their accounts signed off in 13 years, Sir John Bourne (head of the UK National Audit Office) commented that the EU auditors hold much higher standards, and that if the same standards were upheld in the UK, we wouldn’t be able to sign off our accounts either. So to be fair, I don’t think that’s such a case for neglect and corruption (I’m sure there are others for D.V. to quote, in which case please, go ahead), as no actual corruption can be proven by that, only an “inadequate auditing system” (This according to the House of Lords)
I would instead be more concerned with the mismanagement of subsidies and funds etc by the member states (France?)
Stuart writes: “Here’s an interesting spin on “BBC English”. Yesterday, Eddie Mair on PM was pained to say “10 Million Euro”. Spot the missing ‘s’.”
Aha! So that’s the explanation. Thank you. I was reduced to swearing at the steering wheel when I heard ‘silly’ Mair pronouncing it that way. Now I know why. It’s because he is, of course, a poodle performing tricks for his masters.
David Preiser writes: ”
So, gunnar is right to question a statement that the BBC doesn’t like to mention the Poles on air. However, considering the actual way the BBC mentions them, GCooper is essentially correct.”
Sadly, I was entirely correct – but expressed myself too obliquely. The P-word I was accusing the BBC of never mentioning is ‘Pakistani’.
What I was trying to say was that the BBC is only too happy to discuss immigration when the immigrants in question are Poles, but for the past thirty years the subject has been more or less taboo while the country became flooded with Pakisatnis and, later, Blangladeshis.
My apologies to anyone I misled by expressing myself so clumsily.
Stuart | 24.07.08 – 2:23 pm |
Why so? Because the euro-stasi have legislated that the plural of “euro” is “euro”. Fantastic, now I can rebel every time I open my mouth!
That’s how the French-speakers pronounce it in Brussels, and since they seem to dominate the EU legal tentacles, I’m not at all surprised at this, if true.
I like to rebel by pronouncing it “Dollar Socialiste”.
Anon
After 10 years of Brown in charge of the treasury arn’t we in the position of the NAO for the first time ever refusing to sign off the treasury accounts.
Just don’t expect the bbc to do a special report on it any time soon.
And the fat one eyed jock giving yet another speech on ‘poverty’ and how he’s going to give billions of English tax payers money to left wing loons in Africa.
Regarding the EU not having their accounts signed off in 13 years, Sir John Bourne (head of the UK National Audit Office) commented that the EU auditors hold much higher standards, and that if the same standards were upheld in the UK, we wouldn’t be able to sign off our accounts either. So to be fair, I don’t think that’s such a case for neglect and corruption
Anon | 24.07.08 – 3:33 pm | #
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What on earth are you blabbering on about?, the reason the EU auditors refused for the 13th time to sign off the books, is entirely due to the levels of fraud and corruption endemic within the EU.
Before you post again, I suggest that you ‘google’ “EU + Fraud’ or ‘EU + Corruption’, you might be amazed how many examples of fraud and corruption committed by employees of the EU, or indeed member states that you will find.
I forgot to enclose an example:
http://www.davidsumberg.com/eu_fraud.htm
Andrew,
I also managed to find proven examples of EU fraud, this one is from the BBC, read down he article for a classic piece of pro-Europe bias!.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/528763.stm
joseph: As soon as I saw slapheads ugly mug I lost interest.
bbc like this as its a chance to make the EU look good on corruption.
“Incidentally, Bulgaria and Romania are Southern European countries”
LOL.
Err, corrupt and murderous lefty loons, please.
Here’s a source of the euro story…
http://www.ukip.org/ukip/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=249&Itemid=67
Andrew Jones | 24.07.08 – 7:42 pm
the reason the EU auditors refused for the 13th time to sign off the books, is entirely due to the levels of fraud
That statement is completely UNTRUE.
The Court of Auditors have made very clear that fraud (which affects 0.09% of the budget) is NOT the reason they have witheld positive assurance. It is entirely a matter of whether procedures have been perfectly carried out. For example, a late payment would count as a breach.
http://209.85.129.104/search?q=cache:JYCStVistG4J:ec.europa.eu/budget/sound_fin_mgt/myths_facts_eu_accounts_en.htm
The Court of Auditors have made very clear that fraud (which affects 0.09% of the budget) is NOT the reason they have witheld positive assurance. It is entirely a matter of whether procedures have been perfectly carried out. For example, a late payment would count as a breach.
http://209.85.129.104/search? q=c…accounts_en.htm
stage | 25.07.08 – 10:29 am | #
stage, you are talking rubbish, I am employed by the EU and the high levels of fraud and corruption within the EU, are the main cause of frustration for us mere EU employees.
So before anyone else decides to spout such believe me when I say that fraud and corruption are rampant within the EU.