Vprašanje izkoriščanja sredstev je v britanski volilni kampanji prevladovalo. Chris Davies trdi, da je novi parlament reformatorski, saj namerava odpraviti vse sistematične zlorabe izdatkov evropskih poslancev.

Intervju danes: Nepravilne porabe sredstev evropskega parlamenta je konec

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14583972/P001-90714-003-S-SL.srt

Chris Davies, Lib Dem member   for the north-west of England:

one of your campaigning issues for the   last parliament was on expenses

It obviously didn't work out like that   in the UK

and people I spoke to say that   issue dominated the doorsteps.

But we were referring to   Westminster MEPs.

But most British MEPs are reformers   in the Parliament.

To point the finger at people   who vote against reform

What improvements have there been,   and what needs to be done?

The public impression is that   there are still politicians,

whether in Westminster   or the Bundestag or in the EP,

The big improvements have been   the Members' Statute

the chance to ensure that we got rid of   the worst excesses in travel.

when it bore no relation to   actual ticket prices.

Also there's much stricter supervision of   the implementation of the staff budget.

So some of the extravagant ones,   those making 1 million euros per year

That will come to an end,   but problems remain.

The biggest one being   a lack of transparency,

The first time I came to Strasbourg   in 1986, a long time ago,

one of the MEPs said 'not another   journalist doing a gravy train story!'

It was happening even then, so what   reforms are still needed,

so that it is transparent, there's no   cheating and the public deem it honest?

Firstly, auditors reports must be   made public.

That creates big political pressure for   change if auditors ask for it.

Secondly, every MEP should declare how   much they get from the public purse.

The EP can provide that,   and give an account of every cent

that was paid into MEP bank accounts   the year before.

It should be published online and let   people act if they think it appropriate,

How do you overcome problems like   SISO: sign in, sod off?

Those who sign in and just leave, and   some who voted against transparency?

It is still an uphill struggle   for people like you.

I'd like to think that this is a new   parliament

That's wishful thinking.   - We're reformers,

Once people get on the gravy train,   it's hard to get off.

So here's a new parliament with a new   budgetary control committee.

What I'd like as a proud MEP,   I don't want our name besmirched,

or that of the institution, but rather than   being dragged kicking and screaming

into reforms, but we should set best   practice for Europe.

In five years time will people say they will   vote for the EP as they're all honest?

I will be able to say that we have made   fundamental improvements,

and we are now a great deal better   than national parliaments.