Mario Monti on the attack. From Brussels, the Italian prime minister launches a not too veiled dig at the governments of countries such as France, Portugal, Spain and even the Netherlands, arguing that "the credibility of a country's conduct can be undermined if others ask for - and obtain - extensions to reach the their deficit reduction goals.
"We - said the premier - have not succumbed to the recent trend of asking for a one-year extension for the achievement of certain objectives, such as the reduction of the public debt: I have not asked for a postponement to 2014, despite the fact that Italy's conditions were really very, very difficult”. Monti also clarified that he "does not want to argue with anyone, either in the EU or in individual member states". But the message is clear and strong.
