Trichet: "We are facing the most difficult situation since the Second World War — perhaps even since the First World War."

A leitura da entrevista de Jean-Claude Trichet à revista Der Spiegel é essencial — sobretudo para os que dizem (por exemplo, o braço direito de Passos) que o Governo português andou a arrastar os pés e que na última semana acabou por tomar medidas que já devia ter tomado há muito.

Esquecem, claro, que o PEC português fora aprovado por Bruxelas e elogiado por todas as instituições internacionais — e esquecem sobretudo que o pacote de medidas de austeridade tornou-se uma urgência depois de dias muito complicados nos mercados financeiros, que fizeram subir os juros da dívida pública nacional. Não é a propaganda do Governo que o diz. É Trichet:

SPIEGEL: What exactly happened between Thursday and Sunday of the week before last, when Europe's heads of state and government launched the largest financial rescue package in the history of Europe?

Trichet: On Thursday afternoon and throughout Friday, we had a continuous deterioration of the situation in the financial markets, both in Europe and, as a consequence, at the global level. On Friday, markets closed and number of important indicators -- spreads on sovereign bonds in Europe, CDS spreads and the situation in the interbank market -- were signalling the spreading of severe tensions. I made those points to the heads of state and government on Friday evening. That is what happened between Thursday morning and Friday evening. Being permanently alert is of the essence when you have important responsibilities.