00:03Субтитры сделал DimaTorzok
00:30Because a number of right-wing MEPs boycotted the ceremony, the European Parliament hired paid applauders to give the impression
00:36that there were more people at the ceremony than there really were.
00:39So what's true here and what isn't?
00:42Now, several MEPs from the far right did indeed boycott the ceremony, including members of Italy's Lega Party, who said
00:48they would be attending a protest organized by Italian farmers instead.
00:52But claims by several MEPs and other social media users that clacquas were hired are false.
00:57Other posts referred to the people attending the session as extras.
01:01But this is not the case, as a spokesperson from the European Parliament confirmed to us, adding that the plenary
01:06session had been officially suspended for the duration of the ceremony.
01:10In reality, the people who were present in the chamber were not paid, but instead the laureates receiving the award,
01:16their family members and staff involved in the event.
01:19The parliament also said that, as is customary during such events, MEPs who wanted to attend still had priority seating
01:26in the room.
01:27Footage from the event shows that the far left section of the chamber, where the hard right Patriots for Europe
01:32group typically sits, was mostly empty for much of Merkel's speech and the applause that followed.
01:37There is therefore no evidence that those in the audience who were not MEPs were paid to attend, nor that
01:42they were there to stage applause for Merkel.
Comments