Question for written answer E-004628/2015 to the Commission Rule 130 Eleftherios Synadinos (NI)

Subject: State and European aid for foundations established by former Greek Prime Ministers

According to recent articles,1 2 3 six foundations established by former Greek Prime Ministers, namely Eleftherios Venizelos, Georgios Papandreou, Konstantinos Karamanlis, Andreas Papandreou, Konstantinos Mitsotakis and Kostas Simitis, are currently operating in Greece.

These foundations have always enjoyed absurd privileges totally out of keeping with their (non- existent) work, especially as the founders’ progeny sit on their boards of directors.

One of those privileges is that they are ‘administratively and financially independent’, meaning that they can be paid government grants but are not obliged to render account or report financial data to the Greek Government. They also enjoy what can only be described as insulting tax immunity under an unprecedented and unfair system of tax relief at the Greek people’s expense. Finally, the Greek State has handed over property and land to these foundations absolutely free of charge under a completely non-transparent system.

In view of the above, and given that these foundations are entitled to participate in Community programmes funded by the EU (80 %) and from national resources (20 %), will the Commission say:

– whether it intends to request official figures on the amount and method of funding of these foundations and financial statements for reasons of transparency and to inform the public?

1 http://www.newsbomb.gr/ellada/apokalypseis/story/277964/lefta-gia-to-lao-haristikan-se-idrymata-proin 2 http://www.newsbomb.gr/ellada/apokalypseis/story/277645/harizoyn-ellada-kai-se-pethamenoys- prothypoyrgoys 3 http://elevengr.blogspot.be/2013/09/blog-post_9.html

1055315.EN PE 553.776