The longtime CDU MEP Elmar Brok has double cash, according to information from the Brussels news website Politico in visits of citizens in the European Parliament. Brok has demanded from the visitors a contribution of 150 euros and at the same time receive subsidies from the European Parliament, according to the report published yesterday.
As a result, he had taken in the years 2016 and 2017, almost 18,000 euros in addition. Politico bases its allegations on settlements, of which the magazine claims to have received copies from circles of the CDU.
Brok asked for re-examination
Brok rejected the allegations. The resources of the European Parliament had been used correctly, he told the news agency AFP. That would have resulted from the tests by Parliament. The contributions of the visitors were collected and spent on benefits that were not covered by Parliament’s subsidies. He then sent the documents once again to the competent tax adviser recognized by the European Parliament and asked for a new examination.
According to a spokeswoman, the European Parliament grants subsidies to visitors who are invited by MEPs: 60 euros for an overnight stay at the hotel, a daily allowance of 40 euros and a flat rate of 0.09 euros per kilometer for the journey. Each member can receive grants per year for a maximum of 110 visitors.
In addition, the groups can subsidize groups of visitors. The Group of the Christian Democratic European People’s Party (EPP), to which Brok belongs, grants each member a visitor grant of a maximum of 3,000 euros a year, a spokesperson explained. The costs would be billed on receipt.
