Philippines gives up EU funds to stop political interference
A Philippine senior official said on May 18 that the country is willing to give up aid from the EU to prevent the bloc from interfering in its domestic policies.
Hanoi (VNA) – A Philippine senior official said onMay 18 that the country is willing to give up aid from the EU to prevent thebloc from interfering in its domestic policies.
In a letter to the media, Executive Secretary SalvadorMedialdea said the Philippines could reject the 250 million EUR grant for thesake of its political independence.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella affirmed thatPresident Rodrigo Duterte has approved an EU-aid-rejection proposal submittedby the Department of Finance.
Tension has arisen between the Southeast Asian country andthe EU since the bloc criticised the local drug war, which has left about 9,000dead.
Official statistics showed that the EU is the Philippines’ eighthlargest source of aid. Last year, the EU grant for the Philippines amounted to270 million USD.-VNA
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Illustrative photo (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
