"Never will France authorize any modification of any kind," Hollande said as he signed new agreements providing close to €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to the city and the surrounding region of Alsace.
Members of the European Parliament are forced to decamp every month from Brussels to Strasbourg for voting sessions -- a tradition enshrined in the earliest European Union treaties.
The "travelling circus", as some call it, costs taxpayers an estimated €114 million ($125 million) a year, according to an assessment by the European Court of Auditors last year.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 people, including around 800 members of parliament and their administrative staff and translators, make the journey for one week every month.
They use their Strasbourg offices only 317 days per year, but the parliament building still requires 100 full-time staff to keep it running.
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http://www.thelocal.fr/20150427/frances-strasbourg-to-keep-eu-capital-status-hollande
Malc says: 317 days a year - that only leaves 49 days and there are 104 days on weekends alone, so Strasbourg seems well used - unless the Local has it facts wrong? Good old Wikipedia says the parliament is obliged to meet at Strasbourg 12 times per annum, for about 4 days each. So total about 48 days. That is daft if the buildings are unused for 317 days a year.
Malc says: 317 days a year - that only leaves 49 days and there are 104 days on weekends alone, so Strasbourg seems well used - unless the Local has it facts wrong? Good old Wikipedia says the parliament is obliged to meet at Strasbourg 12 times per annum, for about 4 days each. So total about 48 days. That is daft if the buildings are unused for 317 days a year.
