Et tu, José?

For the first time ever José Manuel Barroso has come out publicly against Germany, or rather amendments to the Lisbon Treaty sought by chancellor Angela Merkel, reports Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. Berlin wants the treaty to provide for penalties against eurozone countries repeatedly breaching authorised budget deficit levels. “It would be naïve to think that the treaty can be reformed only in those areas that Germany is interested in,” warned the European Commission president. He is backed by most experts who believe that introducing the proposed amendments would be like opening a Pandora’s box. The Warsaw daily believes that the point at issue is that “Berlin wants to cure the euro dynamically while Brussels prefers a slower, more cautious, more European way.” DZP’s leader wonders whether the Commission president, remarkably quiet during the Greek crisis, isn’t now trying to make up lost ground. Striking out at Germany comes with little risk, the daily notes, given the cool reaction from many member states, including Britain and France, to the Merkel plan.