PRESS RELEASE: Chair of the European Parliament Budgetary Control Committee, Michael Theurer, asks: "How can the European Commission ensure that EU funds are...

EURO MEDIA LTD / Chair of the European Parliament Budgetary Control Committee, Michael Theurer, asks: "How can the European Commission ensure that EU funds are not being misused in Pakistan?" . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Chair of the European Parliament Budgetary Control Committee, Michael Theurer, asks: "How can the European Commission ensure that EU funds are not being misused in Pakistan?"

The EU gives around EUR185 Million in development aid to the Pakistani Government every year. This constitutes close to 14% of the total commitment of the EU to Central and Southern Asia. There are many strong indications to believe that Pakistan does not use the money in the way reported by the authorities. As per the National Corruption Perception Survey executed by Transparency International in 2009, in the three year period that preceded 2009; corruption in Pakistan had grown 400%.

According to Syed Adil Gilani, the chairman of Transparency International, the root cause of terrorism, poverty, shortage of electricity, illiteracy, and scarcity of food is corruption. Michael Theurer has therefore tabled written questions to Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, in which he requests information on "how the European Commission can ensure that EU funds are not being misused and embezzled in Pakistan". "Sadly the answers to my concrete questions were very vague", Theurer said. "If we can not prove that our tax payers money is not being used to line the pockets of corrupt politicians, or worse, to fund terrorism, we should make use of the option to cut these funds. This is doubly important in times of recession and austerity measures across the continent", Theurer added.

Michael Theurer is at your disposal for further information. Please contact his office in Brussels: Adam Mouchtar, Tel. +32 228 31639 or Michael.Theurer@europarl.europa.eu.

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Source: EURO MEDIA LTD via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1675267]

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   February 04, 2013 10:21 ET (15:21 GMT)- - 10 21 AM EST 02-04-13