What's the news? Soon after taking over the European People’s Party, President Manfred Weber and Secretary General Thanasis Bakolas hired two one-man consultancies with ties to Greece’s governing party. The consultants were paid over half a million euros in six months time, payment information obtained by Follow the Money shows. The European Parliament refused to reimburse the amounts but did not escalate the case for further investigation. Why does this matter? Weber is considered to be the EU’s most powerful politician. Under his watch, the EPP spent a large part of its reserves on consultants who other staff members say brought limited added value. The affair raises questions about the effectiveness of oversight over how European political parties spend their money. Here's a full copy of the article. submitted by /u/Naurgul [link] [comments]