Cameron vows to fight 5.9 percent rise in EU budget

LONDON Oct 27 (KUNA) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron Wednesday vowed to fight a planned 5.9 percent increase in the European Union's budget, describing it as "completely unacceptable". Ahead of a European summit in Brussels, the Prime Minister said the rise - backed by the European Parliament against the wishes of the Council - was "wrong" when spending was being cut at home. He told MPs he would do "everything I can" to limit the rise for next year and put in place "strict controls" for future years. "I think the greatest priority for Britain should be to fight very hard to get the EU budget under control," Cameron said during Prime Minister's question time. "I think it is completely unacceptable at a time when we are making tough budget decisions here we are seeing spending rise consistently in the European Union. "I think that is wrong, and I am going to be doing everything I can to try and sort out the budget for next year and then also look at the future financing of the European Union where we want to see strict controls. "That, I think, should be our priority." Cameron was responding to Conservative MP Andrew Turner who asked about reports a new treaty was being sought to put EU aid to Greece on a legal footing. Cameron said the rebate secured by Margaret Thatcher had saved Britain 88 billion pounds, citing it as an example of what tough negotiation could achieve, and went on: "The European Parliament has insisted on a higher budget than the one set by the Council, and the first thing is to say that is not acceptable and to build a majority on that Council to get that budget down again." (end) he.ajs KUNA 271614 Oct 10NNNN