At the EUDemocrats website this news broke out:

A new scandal was revealed today, Thursday April 24th. Twenty eight (28) leading multinational companies have had their own lobbying office in the European Parliament, with Parliament’s telephone number and address.

Members of Parliament have been involved in a special board for this secret lobbyist activity. Their group leaders have known nothing about their involvement. The MEPs have been handpicked to serve business interests under the leadership of the Spanish Vice President, Vidal-Quadras, Chairman of EBPS, assisted by a Parliamentary board including John Bowis (EPP-ED), Lena Ek (ALDE), Angelika Niebler (EPP-ED), Edit Herczog (PES), Manuel Medina Orterga (PES) and Dirk Sterckx (ALDE).

Big multinational companies, namely, Gas de France, Telefonica, Thalys, British American Tobacco, Unilever, Ericsson, Microsoft and others are involved.

The European Parliament and Business Scheme (EBPS) were set up by former President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox. He is now a leading business consultant and President of the International European Movement. He is also campaigning for a Yes to the Lisbon Treaty in the Irish referendum foreseen for June 12, 2008.

The scandal was revealed during the Conference of Presidents meeting today in Strasbourg. Green party leader Monika Frassoni informed her colleagues, and they decided by a majority vote to ask the College of Quaestors to end this lobbyist activity.

The European Parliament shall decide about lobbyism in the mini session in Brussels on May 8. This is also the last voting day for the President of the Group for Independence and Democracy, Jens-Peter Bonde, who was recently elected president of EUD –a political party at European level aimed at improving democracy and transparency in the EU.

Bonde was quoted as saying: “I have asked the Parliaments’ leadership to establish a full investigation on how this secret working group could be established behind the necks of all group leaders”.

In future we will list all the flaws from the YES side in Ireland (fake media reports on the assault on the MEP, deceptions by Barrosso and others, problems with taxes and farmers). Today’s story will definitely add to the swing of many Irish voters towards rejection of the Renamed EU Treaty.

What will be after the Irish referendum? Friday the 13th. Good Friday mind you, get ready.