European Parliament (EP) staff are complaining about the lack of Eastern European cuisine in its restaurants, Politico reports. An unnamed aide to a Slovak parliamentarian, whose letter was quoted by the publication, believes that the lack of variety in the menu could “stir up anti-European sentiment.”
The article, titled “Canteen Uprising” says the parliamentary aide, originally from Slovakia, sent an “emotional letter” to more than 2,000 of his colleagues. He complains that the European Parliament’s restaurants do not serve Eastern European cuisine, making citizens of those countries feel like “second-class passengers in the EU.”
“What’s worse is that populists can portray the situation as culinary ‘Western imperialism’ to fuel anti-European sentiment,” the letter’s author said. “Thank you for raising this delightfully important issue,” his Czech counterpart replied. This is not the first time that the European Parliament’s restaurants have come under fire. In August 2019, Politico reported on staff’s dissatisfaction with increased food costs. The price hikes came at a time when most MEPs were on vacation or working outside of Brussels. In some cases, the publication says, food prices have risen by more than 25%.
Illustrative Photo by Media Lens King: https://www.pexels.com/photo/fried-meat-with-sliced-lemon-on-white-ceramic-plate-6920656/
