EU mis-spend; Mayoral mis-income; Utility hikes; M Hollande, etc.; & The demur Queen Vic.

The EU has a vast fund (€50bn a year) dedicated to 'structural and cohesive' initiatives. This is more than a third of the institution's annual spend. Naturally, it isn't terribly well policed and fraud is endemic. The other form of waste is those 'worthwhile' endeavours that end up as vanity projects/white elephants. And these aren't confined to Spain. Over in Wales, there's the Canolfan Cywain rural heritage centre which was opened in 2008 and now stands "empty, overgrown with weeds and falling into ruin." Not surprisingly, it closed a year or so ago. And there's no longer a web page for it.

Not before time, it's been announced that some sort of sanity will be introduced into the sphere of Spanish mayoral salaries. Mayors here are powerful people, with immense patronage. All of them seem to have remarkably high salaries and many of them have other jobs alongside their municipal posts. And then there are the traditional benefits of the job in a culture which is rarely harsh on immoral and illegal gains. But, anyway, their salaries are to be capped and linked to the populations of their realms. Which should mean some massive reductions. Maybe, though, they'll find some way to compensate.

I mentioned the other day that government spokespeople had tried to minimise or even deny the claim the electricity prices had risen significantly. In truth, bills rose 46% between 2008 and 2012. Which was bested/worsted only by Lithuania, at 47%. As for gas, this rose by a mere 40% in that period, reflecting in part 2 hikes in the IVA(VAT) rate. At a time of austerity and massive unemployment. Must make sense to someone, I guess.

A confession: Yesterday's Mediocre Spain was not by Forges but by David Jimenez, who says both of them are rather fed up of correcting this misperception. He also says he's astonished that an article stating the obvious has been so well received.

I read this morning that friends of Mr Hollande are reported to have said he's “living a beautiful story” with the actress Julie Gayet. Oh, dear. You'd have thought he'd learned something about relationships from his 2 previous partnerships. Riding for a fall is the phrase which springs to my mind. Hard to be sympathetic, though. Made his own bed. Several times now.

Finally . . . I also read this morning that Queen Victoria was awarded the Ottoman Empire’s Order of Chastity, Second Class. She must have been chuffed.