By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Published: 5:11PM GMT 02 Mar 2010
Nigel Farage has been fined after calling Herman Van Rompuy 'wet rag'
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.
Mr Buzek, a former member of the Polish Solidarity movement which fought against Communism in the 1980s, said Mr Farage had “insulted the dignity” of the new EU president.
“I cannot accept this sort of behaviour,” he said. “I have therefore - as an expression of the seriousness of the matter - rescinded his right to ten days’ daily allowance as a member.”
The latest incident follows an official reprimand last November for "violating the dignity of the individual" after he described the newly appointed Mr Van Rompuy and Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign minister, as "political pygmies".
"The atmosphere in the room was pretty clear, unless I apologise, what will happen to me would be severe," said Mr Farage. "I am not going to apologise if I have sparked off a debate on vital issues such as who governs the EU and are they democratically accountable. That's a good thing to have done."
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1 comment:
Amazing! Just for saying Van Rompuy has the "charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low grade bank clerk." This speak volumes about what kind of EU system they are setting up and their views on free speech and basic human rights.
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