Mail aan Griekse collega's

Source: P.H. (Pieter) Omtzigt i, published on Monday, May 16 2011.

Dear Elsa, Nikolaos and other members of the Greek delegation in the EPP/CD fraction in the council of Europe,

In the Netherlands, it is increasingly difficult to defend the massive and difficult emergency loans we have made to Greece last year.

At this moment there might be a request to increase the loans and lower the interest payable on the loans.

I am aware that the conditions for the loans are difficult for many Greek citizens who get lower pensions and pay more tax. And a sizeable number are losing their jobs due to the recession.

In the Netherlands we have similar problems. Just this week, the military has taken equipment out of service and it now laying of thousands of people. This is just one example.

When my voters and I are reading articles in the Greek press like the one below this article, we are fully stunned. How can former Greek politicians (who after all made quite a mess of the state finances) be able to claim a massive back pay. In an earlier version it even quoted the amount of 250.000 euro per person. If this is true and if this cannot be stopped, preferably before the weekend, not only for the present MPs but also for the past MPs, then we might well have a serious extra problem.

I find it difficult to aks my voters to lend money to the Greek state if the state needs it for this purpose and I am not alone.

I would very much like to hear from you how the present Greek parliament will make sure this does not happen and the past politicians promise to drop their law suits.

Can you make sure I hear from you before this weekend?

If you wish, I can send you the parliamentary questions I tabled in the Netherlands, in which I ask the Dutch government to take action in Brussels with the European Commission. May be other MPs in Europe can and will join me.

Sincerely yours,

Pieter Omtzigt

_______________________________________

dr. P.H. (Pieter) Omtzigt

Member of Parliament for the Christian Democratic Party

Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the council of Europe

Plein 2

Postbus 20018

2500 EA ’s Gravenhage

The Netherlands

tel: +31 70 318 2524

pieter.omtzigt@tweedekamer.nl

omtzigt.cda.nl

_______________________________________

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_04/05/2011_389488

Retired MPs claiming 80 mln euros in back pay

Former deputies relying on law that increased lawmakers' pay to equal that of country's top judges

There have been four different Parliaments since 2003.

Dozens of retired MPs are trying to claim a combined total of some 80 million euros in back pay and pension payments, court officials have revealed.

Florentia Kaldi, a judge at the Court of Audit, told a parliamentary committee that some 800 former lawmakers who served in Parliament between 2003 and 2008 have taken legal action to demand the money.

They are basing their action on a law passed in 2008 which ruled that MPs should receive pay that is equal to the salaries of the country’s top judges.

Parliament has so far voted for the pay rises not to come into effect but Kaldi informed the House’s Institutions and Transparency Committee that there are between 800 and 850 legal cases pending.

The former MPs are claiming that they have received smaller pensions and less pay than they were entitled to as a result of Parliament not applying the law on their wages.

They also claim that since they are no longer serving MPs, they are not bound by Parliament’s commitment not to apply the law to increase deputies’ wages.

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