r/indepthstories

##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.

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Here's a full copy of the article.

Hey!

I don't pretend to be a writer or journalist, but I do have a passion for helping those most vulnerable. This is my very first article, and you can imagine because of the subject matter I haven't had anyone to show this too. So please, ANY questions/comments or recommendations would be highly appreciated!

Thanks!!

Here's a copy of the full article, in case you can't access the original.

###See also this interview:

• Robert Kagan on why he believes U.S. faces likely defeat in Iran (PBS)