In Brussels the power of veto on the budgets of the Member States. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel relaunches before the Bundestag the idea that more than any other would limit national sovereignty in the Union. In particular, the power to approve or not the accounts of the various countries would be entrusted to the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs.
“We have made good progress in strengthening budgetary discipline with the fiscal pact, but we believe, and I say this on behalf of the entire German government – declared the chancellor in front of the lower house of Parliament -, that we could take a step forward by assigning the 'Europe a real right to interfere in national budgets".
The veto would be necessary for member states “that do not respect the limits set for stability and growth. When we have a mechanism capable of invalidating a budget, then we will be at the point where we will certainly need someone in the committee who has authority in this matter and only the Commissioner for Economic Affairs can do that. I know that many Member States are not yet ready for this, unfortunately, but that does not change the fact that we will fight in this direction”.
Words that arrive a few hours after the opening of European summit of heads of state and government in Brussels. Merkel also said she agreed with the proposal of her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, to create a single commissioner for the euro and to strengthen the European Parliament. The chancellor then launched the idea of a new fund, "derived for example from the Tobin tax", to invest in specific solidarity projects towards the member countries that are in the most difficult conditions.
As for the future of Greece, Merkel reiterated her wish “for it to remain in the Eurozone. This is the position with which the German government and we await the Troika report (ECB, IMF and EU, ed). We will not make advance evaluations ”.
