If anyone needed any further evidence of the kind of people running the EU, the following from the Telegraph just goes to show how out of touch the unelected Eurocrats really are (emphasis mine) :

Eurocrats to receive 3.7 per cent pay increase, European Court of Justice rules

Wednesday’s decision paves the way for the estimated 50,000 EU civil servants to get the increase, with six months paid retrospectively, in time to celebrate the New Year.

As EU officials, the ECJ judges in Luxembourg, who earn £215,000 a year, themselves stand to benefit from the pay rise while Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign affairs chief, will pocket an extra £9,000 on top of her basic annual salary of £241,000.

The Court ruling comes after national governments, including Britain, mounted a legal challenge to halve the inflation busting increase in salaries and pensions.

…

Martin Callanan, new leader of Conservatives in the European Parliament, said, “Whilst we cannot directly influence the formula for working out increases, Conservative MEPs have repeatedly expressed our opposition to an increase. While Europe’s citizens are tightening their belts, facing layoffs or paying a greater tax burden, it sends out completely the wrong message. Yet again the EU has chosen to alienate itself from the vast majority of the population.“

Regarding the last line, at least there are a few people making the point but, as in the case of our own coagulation rulers, they seem to me to be all mouth and no trousers (as they say around these parts).

With strikes and riots breaking out everywhere, this bit of news should only further inflame the passions of those facing austerity in the PIIGs countries.