There was a saying in ancient Rome: "Caesar's wife should not only be honorable, but should also appear honorable." But then how is it possible for Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the EU Commission, to go, along with his family, on a free vacation on one of the most luxurious yachts in the world, hosted by a wealthy Greek shipmaker?

Barroso's vacation last summer, on the famed yacht "Alexander," which belongs to one of the wealthiest people in the world, Greek shipmaker Spiros Lachis, is making waves in Brussels these days. The Barroso family trip on "Alexander" was brought to the forefront by questions asked publicly by English representative in the European Parliament, Nangel Faratz. When the German newspaper Die Welt began to investigate, it found that the written price for the cruise Barroso took for free was actually around 20,000 Euro. This is a pricetag which runs in the face of the fact that EU Commission members are not allowed to accept gifts worth more than 300 Euro.
 
Gul sailed on the "Alexander" too
 
EU Commission spokesperson Francoise Le Bail announced in a statement that Barroso and the Greek Spiros Lachis were friends from university, and that the trip was "a personal invitation, having to do with Barroso's personal life." Interestingly, the yacht "Alexander" has hosted many dignitaries before, including George Herbert Bush and Prince Charles of England. The Lachis family loans the yacht to the Greek government for use regularly. Even Abdullah Gul has participated in meetings of EU Foreign Ministers taking place on the "Alexander."