THE TELEGRAPH: European Union farm subsidies were paid out last year to Swedish accordion musicians, Danish snooker players, Dutch ice skaters and an Estonian society for old school classmates, official figures show.
Unusual payments included almost £600,000 paid to the daughter of the Bulgarian minister responsible for administering EU farm subsidies.
As well as the £51,000 paid to a Swedish accordion club was £27,000 handed out to Danish billiard players, payments were made of £139,000 to ice skaters and £303,000 to footballers in the Netherlands.
In what may involve cases of people who died after qualifying for aid, payments were made to two 100-year-old Swedes who are now deceased.
"It does look odd," admitted a European Commission official. >>> Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Wednesday, May 05, 2010
