Showing posts with label cut flower bill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cut flower bill. Show all posts

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Sarkozy Told to Prune Cost of Carla’s Flowers

THE SUNDAY TIMES: PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy has been told to trim his flower bill after the first inspection of a French ruler’s expenses revealed that his palace spent £600 a day on bouquets.

Sarkozy ordered the opening of the Elysée Palace accounts as part of the “transparency” he advocates in government. It may have backfired on him by revealing a colossal waste of public money at a time when others are tightening their belts.

The exorbitant florist’s bill can be attributed to Carla Bruni, the president’s wife, a folk singer and former top model who has a passion for freshly cut flowers. Bernadette Chirac, her predecessor, had a similar obsession – particularly for roses – but saved money by growing them in the palace grounds.

Philippe Séguin, the state auditor, recommended cutting food costs as well as the floral bill: the palace always went to the same suppliers, he complained, even if it meant paying twice as much – £170,000 a year at the butcher, £217,000 at the greengrocer and just over £100,000 in cheese shops. >>> Matthew Campbell | Sunday, July 26, 2009