another EU scandal?

News reaches me that dawn raids took place this morning in France, Italy and Belgium because of an investigation into alleged corruption surrounding EU embassies.

According to reports, EU officials may have been giving the gravy train an extra buffet car by indulging in some dodgy tendering for contracts for the security arrangements for EU embassies and the buildings themselves.

There shouldn't even be EU embassies. The EU is not a country (yet) and the UK has it's own diplomatic corp to represent British interests abroad. I can't imagine that I would ever be in a situation where, if I was in trouble abroad, I would say "well, thank god there's an EU embassy who can help me!"

They probably wouldn't ever be open, when they were they would be understaffed because of the working time directive and the long lunch hours, and the paperwork would just be unimaginable. In fact, I suspect that it would be quicker to be arrested and face trial than get the EU to help out in a sticky situation.

Especially if past form on corruption is anything to go by, because the security staff would all be dentists....