EU boss Martin Schulz, and fan of the late British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawn, who has just been replaced by Antonia Tajani, had two limousines, two chauffeurs and 33 assistants, all paid for by the taxpayer.
Schulz’s team included a spokesman, five press officers and two diary assistants. The recovering alcoholic also had two ushers dressed in black tails who greet guests.
The former head of the EU Parliament was often accused by fellow MEPs of wasting public money, but Schulz had no qualms about asking for greater contributions.
An EU report from 2015 revealed how Germany’s big spender had little regard for other people’s money.
The Socialist had a such a bloated team of staff, the annual review of the Parliament’s finances by its budgetary control committee “noted with concern that the large number of staff based in the office of the president of the European Parliament which is highly questionable”.
“This sets a bad example for cost reduction and fiscal responsibility within Parliament,” it added. The MEPs also questioned his need for two very expensive cars.
Schulz’s spending, while serving as an MEP for over two decades, promted Ukip leader Nigel Farage to remark: “The Queen of Sheba probably had less staff, certainly less chauffeurs. I can’t decide if Martin Schulz is a Bollinger Bolshevik or a Foie Gras Federalist. What this report shows is that the president of the European Parliament is greedy for EU gravy. He loves the EU because it’s good for him personally.”
He was also accused of political cronyism after handing out top administrative posts in the Parliament to members of his personal staff, The Daily Mail reported.
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