Letter: Fraud in the European Union: who is to blame?

Sir: While the Maastricht treaty may have considerable faults with regard to economic centralisation within Europe, the provision to allow citizens of European Union countries to vote and stand as candidates in the UK at the forthcoming European elections is welcome.

It is important that EU citizens should be aware of their rights in this respect. But it is perhaps equally important that they are informed that if they wish to be a candidate, they will need to place pounds 1,000 as a deposit - only returnable if they secure 5 per cent or more of votes cast. In addition, due to the obstinacy of the UK government, their vote or candidature will be at the mercy of the first-past-the- post voting system that will be operating throughout the UK (with the exception of the six counties of Northern Ireland) on 9 June.

Surely it is high time that MEPs were elected on an equal basis from all EU countries.

Yours sincerely,

JAMES ABBOTT

Witham,

Essex

9 March

The writer is the Green Party prospective European parliamentary candidate for North-east Essex and South Suffolk.