Europe’s mayors and regional mayors are reacting strongly to the EU budget plan presented by the Commission.

Local government representatives who are currently in Brussels as part of the 23rd Cities and Regions Week (euregions week) symbolically demonstrated at noon on Wednesday (15/10) outside the European Parliament, asking not to be sidelined, but mainly expressing their anxiety about the future of the Cohesion Fund (in Greece, this is what finances the NSRF).

Earlier, representatives of the Committee of the Regions (the third European body after the Commission and the Parliament) had pointed out that the provisions in the draft budget raise very serious concerns and questions.

As Vasco Alves Cordeiro, former Commission President, said, the draft grows out of cities and regions under the pretext that European funds can be better allocated, and control over where they end up will be easier and more efficient.

Mr Cordeiro argued that the plan being presented has a strong element of centralisation and will exacerbate inequalities, and described as wishful thinking the apparent safeguards to continue the participation of cities and regions in EU programmes and funding.