Slim chance of budget deal angers MEPs - euronews

EU officials have downplayed any chance of any agreement on the bloc's budget this weekend.

It means that European leaders will be back to do it all again next year. Some MEPs are angry at the delay, point out that national government spend much more than the EU.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now leader of the Liberals in the European Parliament, called it a "ridiculous dispute."

"We are talking the European budget of about 140 billion euros, well the budget of the member states of the EU is 6.300 billion euros, 6.3 trillion euros. 50 times more. So it's not very serious at all," he told euronews.

Those calls were echoed by Socialist leader Hannes Swoboda, who singled out British Prime Minister David Cameron for blocking "progressive development in the EU."
"Maybe he (is the one to) lead Britain out of the EU and (at the same time) he determines the future of the EU. It's crazy."

Euronews correspondent Margherita Sforza said if differences remain, more talks will be held in 2013.

"Governments and members of the public will have time to digest those new sacrifices being requested by EU leaders. Some countries will have to pay more to the European buddget, others will receive less funds," she said.

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