Eye Popping, Even for the EU

What would an organisation whose accounts have not been sign for a decade have to do to surprise you? How about running a programme, for which 70% of the funds have been wasted?

The scheme has given about €500 million a year to 12 former communist countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to promote free markets and democracy since 1991.

Nice so they’ve had just noticed 15 years later that something is not working.

The auditors investigated 29 representative projects in Russia, the main beneficiary of the programme, and found that only nine actually achieved the objectives for which the EU was paying. In total, only 5 of the 29 projects had any lasting impact.

Wow no wonder Tony Blair wants a Brussels job. Only 17% of the projects could be regarded as a success and it took them 15 years to notice.

One project invented a region on paper to meet the criteria for receiving EU funds.

Perhaps we could suggest this to John Prescott. Rather than trying to force regional parliaments on real people, he could just invent a region.

Fitness equipment aimed at helping children ended up being used by Russian soldiers.

So they can beat each other up more effectively I suppose.

Again, someone remind me why we pay a single penny to this cowboy outfit.