MEPs debate next year's budget, quiz the Troika on Greece's economy and get to meet some mechanical people.

Paying for Parliament / Saving Greece / Robots on parade

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15931369/n001-120328-002-en_mf.srt

MEPs have been under pressure  to keep costs down and they have:

just over 1.75 billion euros for next year,  an increase of under 3%.

We are adjusting  the Parliament's budget for inflation.

that there are new tasks given to  the Parliament under the Treaty of Lisbon.

MEPs had the chance to quiz  representatives of the Troika -

the EU Commission,  European Central Bank and the IMF.

They heard that Greece  must up its game

on economic reform, political unity  and tackling vested interests.

But deeper austerity won't work  and some think it's too late anyway.

The Commission, the ECB, the Fed,  the Parliament are in denial...

Basically, Greece is completely  and totally bankrupt and there's an end to it.

This is one of several robots  being put through its paces in the EP,

Take the octopus.  -OK, I will touch the octopus.

It's the technology of the future  and needs EU support.

One of the ideas is that these kinds of robot  could be useful in factories of the future

by helping with assembly tasks  or manipulating things

in places where it's not good to have people.

Serious stuff, then,  but highly entertaining.