EU: where does all the money go?

[elbow]

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Cocaine traces at EU parliament
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<div ="cap">The results suggested cocaine was in regular use in the areas tested</div>
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Cocaine traces have been found at the European Parliament in an inquiry by one of Germany's main broadcasters.
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The Sat-1 channel sent reporters to take 46 swabs from
toilets and other public areas of the Brussels buildings. Nearly all
tested positive for cocaine.
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A European Parliament spokeswoman said cocaine abuse was not a problem among staff working at the buildings.
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A professor who analysed the samples said the amounts found were too great to have been carried in on clothing.

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"It simply reflects the fact that cocaine was brought in
there," Professor Fritz Sorgel of the Institute for Biomedical and
Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg (IBMP) told the BBC News website.
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"The amount was too high and found in too many spots. It shows it was brought in deliberately."
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It seems the findings are in line with findings in other public buildings
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<div>Marjory van den Broeke
European Parliament spokeswoman</div>


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However, he said the results were not so surprising given the widespread use of cocaine in society at large.
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As the buildings are cleaned regularly, it appeared that
cocaine had been used recently in the places where the traces were
found, Mr Sorgel said. </font>



A total of 41 of the reporters' swabs tested positive for cocaine.
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'Surprise' results
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European Parliament spokeswoman Marjory van den Broeke
said the findings came as a complete surprise, insisting that cocaine
use was not a problem among staff working at the building. </font>



"It seems the findings are in line with findings in other public buildings," Ms Van den Broeke told the BBC News website.
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"It is not a problem we are aware of at all."
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But given the way the tests were carried out - with
reporters coming in and taking swabs in toilets to be tested at a later
stage - it was difficult to say how conclusive the tests could be, she
said.
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The parliament may look into whether the testing was legal as it was performed without its consent or knowledge.
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We do not wish to point our fingers at any individuals or professional groups
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<div>Ulrich Meyer
TV producer</div>


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The broadcaster conducted the same experiment in the German parliament with similar results five years ago.
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Prof Sorgel made it clear cocaine was not found in all public places - not in German high schools for example.
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"Many sites have no cocaine. It's not everywhere," he said.
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The producer of the AKTE 05 TV show, Ulrich Meyer, said
consumption of cocaine was a problem which pervaded all of society -
"bigger than many politicians are willing to believe".
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"We do not wish to point our fingers at any individuals
or professional groups," he said, pointing out that the European
Parliament building was open to the public.

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source: BBC News


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Edited by: elbow