The European authorities are preparing to add 500,000 euros to the budget of Charles Michel, President of the European Council. Brussels justifies this decision by the high inflation that undermines Europe but also by the numerous international trips of the European emissary in the midst of the war between Russia and Ukraine. A 27.5% increase that risks triggering the fury of European citizens
A news that is likely to cause a strong outcry in Europe in an extremely difficult context marked by a year of war in Ukraine but also an inflation that ended up weighing down all households. Yet it is in this precise context that the European populations hear about stories of big money within the European Union.
In any case, after the QatarGate which deeply weakened the European Union, it is now a new affair which risks triggering a lively controversy. This is at least what we learned on March 01 from the Politico media, which says it consulted a confidential document.
Indeed, according to this source, the heavyweights of Brussels are demanding a 27.5% increase for Charles Michel, President of the European Council. According to this media, this increase should be used to cover the costs of his countless trips abroad in a rather tense context marked by the war in Ukraine but also by inflation.
“The budget devoted to the function of the President of the European Council would increase from 2 million euros to 2.5 million euros in 2024 according to Charles Michel’s expenditure and income estimates”, notes Politico, which specifies that this new could trigger the wrath of some European governments who are already complaining that Charles Michel’s salary is very high.
In its revelation made by Politico, in 2022, the costs related to the trips of the President of the European Council were estimated at 1.7 million euros and this sum should reach 1.9 million euros in 2024, which represents an increase by 12%. The European Council persists and signs: these increases are explained by inflation but also by the war in Ukraine which made Charles Michel travel internationally.
Source: le Courrier
