EU throws £400m "down a black hole"

London(ANI): Brussels pen pushers doled out a whopping 160,000pounds to a dance troupe who perform "spectacular belching" and "smelly foot" jigs, it has emerged.

The taxpayers' money was handed to the London-based Flying Gorillas group who use "rhythm, music and gibberish" to "explore friendship and tolerance".

Another 166,849pounds were spent to help a German street theatre group build a "large dragon which can breathe fire and small smoking volcanoes on wheels".

And 400million pounds were donated to "confidential" projects around the world.

Campaign group Open Europe's new report demonstrates how - despite the recession - Brussels is squandering money on crazy projects.

"Funding these projects would be pretty ridiculous at the best of times, but when the Government is talking about massive cuts, the EU's spending looks truly outrageous," The Sun quoted Open Europe spokesman Stephen Booth, as saying.

He added: "How can the EU demand more cash when it's throwing £400million of taxpayers' money down a black hole?"

Almost 147,000pounds has been shelled out on creating 736 postcards - one for each MEP in the European Parliament. Each costs the taxpayer nearly 200pounds.

While some of the "confidential" cash is being used for schemes in Afghanistan, a staggering 79.6million pounds went to a South African aid project, with another 65.9million pounds for a neighbourhood project in Moldova.

And 6.4million pounds for "financial co-operation" among Mediterranean countries went to an unnamed body in Switzerland. (ANI)