EU boss Jean Claude Juncker moans that he doesn’t have an Air Force One-style private jet or a grace and favour stately home like other world leaders
- Jean Claude Juncker said he ‘can’t talk to official visitors sitting on my bed’
- He complained a private jet and official stately residence were not provided
- His 50-square-metre hotel room costs a total of €3250 each month
Jean Claude Juncker complained he has to get a regular flight home and live in a hotel room rather than being given a grand official residence.
The President of the European Commission said he ‘can’t talk to official visitors sitting on my bed’ after describing his 50-square-metre hotel room.
The room, which costs €3250 each month, is not as grand as the NATO Secretary-General’s stately home, he told Bild.
‘The biggest problem was that I couldn’t invite anyone home. I can’t talk to official visitors sitting on my bed.
The President of the European Commission said he ‘can’t talk to official visitors sitting on my bed’ after describing his 50-square-metre hotel room
‘On the other hand, when I flew to visit them by commercial airliner, I was always invited to their private residences,’ he said.
He went on to explain he is not even granted a private jet to travel to visit other European Union member countries.
He added: ‘When I was talking to Donald Trump, I was constantly looking at my watch so that I wouldn’t miss my flight home.
‘Trump kept saying, “Your plane can wait!” He didn’t realise that I didn’t have my own aeroplane.’
This is not the first time he has complained about not having his own private jet.
In 2014, while campaigning for the position of President of the European Commission, he tweeted: ‘The Americans have Air Force One. I don’t. But I am still campaigning all over Europe! #withJuncker’
And since then he has used private jets for almost half of his official visits in 2018, with one overnight trip to Tunisia racking up a bill of £32,000.
In 2014, while campaigning for the position of President of the European Commission, he tweeted: ‘The Americans have Air Force One. I don’t. But I am still campaigning all over Europe! #withJuncker’
This is despite EU laws banning ‘air taxis’ unless there are no other flights available.
Mr Juncker chartered private jets for 21 out of 43 official trips between January and November.
And he has previously sparked fury when, in 2017, it emerged he chartered a £24,000 private jet to Rome with a delegation of nine.
Earlier in his interview with the German tabloid newspaper he called Chancellor Angela Merkel ‘a lovable work of art’.
‘I feel sad when a work of art is taken from me,’ he said.
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