BRUSSELS, October 27 (RIA Novosti) — The European Commission is surprised by the UK Prime Minister's refusal to contribute additional 2.1 billion euro ($2.66 billion) to the EU budget, Budget Commissioner Jacek Dominik said at a Monday press briefing.
“I was surprised by [British Prime Minister David Cameron’s] reaction, because up to this moment there was no single signal from the UK administration that they have problems with this figure,” Dominik told reporters in Brussels.
The EU official also pointed at inconsistency of Cameron’s stance on contributions to the EU budget.
“You cannot question one day the system that imposes to you additional contributions due to your own data <…> and next day say that you like another element, when you get half a billion back due to the same data,” the commissioner added.
Asked whether there is a chance for the European Union to move the payment deadline for London, Dominik said the procedure would be “extremely difficult.”
Last week, UK Prime Minister Cameron broke off the EU Summit in Brussels to express his outrage with the revision of EU members' contributions to the budget, according to which Britain's contribution to the EU budget is to increase by $2.66 billion starting from December. Cameron said that the payment of an additional amount "is not going to happen".
