THE TELEGRAPH: Ukip's European leader Nigel Farage has been fined £2,700 after refusing to say sorry for a colourful outburst against the new European president.
Mr Farage used Herman Van Rompuy's maiden speech to the European Parliament last week to describe him as having the "charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low grade bank clerk".
He was summoned in by EU officials to explain his comments but said his only apology would be to bank clerks.
Yves Leterme, Belgium's Prime Minister, has demanded a public apology for the "slander" and Mr Farage's added "insult" that Mr Van Rompuy was a "quiet assassin" hostile to the sovereignty of nation states because he came from the "non-country" of Belgium.
Mr Farage was called to the office of Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament, and told to publicly apologise to Mr Van Rompuy and Belgium "or else".
"I said he had the charisma of a damp rag and I challenge you to find anyone who would say any different to that," he said, "The only people I am going to apologise to are bank clerks the world over. If I have offended them I am very sorry indeed."
Following the meeting, Mr Farage was informed by Mr Buzek that he would be fined EUR3,000, to be deducted from his MEP allowances, for the comments. >>> Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Tuesday, March 02, 2010
20MINUTES.ch: Le Parlement européen a infligé une amende de 3000 euros à l'eurodéputé britannique Nigel Farage, qui a comparé le 24 février le nouveau président de l'Union européenne, le Belge Herman van Rompuy, à une «serpillière humide».
Nigel Farage, chef du parti UK Independence Party qui demande le retrait de la Grande-Bretagne de l'Union européenne, a refusé de s'excuser pour ces propos. La présidence du Parlement européen a condamné mardi le comportement «incorrect et irrespectueux» de l'eurodéputé, qui va perdre dix jours d'indemnités parlementaires journalières, à 298 euros par jour. >>> ap | Mercredi 03 Mars 2010
