Long term budget vote order a setback for democracy and transparency in the European Parliament - Main contents
GUE/NGL expressed its indignation at a decision by European iParliament President Martin Schulz i to usurp normal parliamentary voting procedure for this week's votes on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2014-2020 i)
The GUE/NGL group has expressed its indignation at a decision by European Parliament President Martin Schulz to usurp normal parliamentary voting procedure for this week's votes on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2014-2020) and related legislative files that have been negotiated with Council.
Under this procedure MEPs will vote yes or no to compromise packages, losing the ability to amend the draft texts and return them to inter-institutional negotiations if not content.
Insisting on the right to vote on individual amendments to the MFF texts at the opening of this week's Strasbourg session, GUE/NGL President Gabi Zimmer said:
"Martin Schulz's change to the order of votes means we will not get a chance to vote on the amendments put forward by political groups and parliamentary committees on the draft MFF text. This is simply undemocratic" she said.
"Moreover if we cannot vote on individual amendments on one of the most important legislative dossiers of this parliament, then I think we will cause trust in parliament to suffer. Such important votes must be conducted in total transparency, especially the report being voted on Wednesday on common provisions on European funds. In this text there are three fundamental provisions that affect the future financing of the European integration process: macro-economic conditionality (making cohesion policy funding dependent on a country’s compliance with economic governance), the minimum share of the European Social Fund in the Cohesion budget, and the performance reserve."
"On these specific issues we on the left will not be able to register our concerns and for these reasons we will vote against the whole package" Zimmer concluded.
GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group
www.guengl.eu
Related MEPs
Related delegations