*  *  *  In conclusion, I think that the package of measures we adopted was necessary and appropriate to counter the cyclical risks and the weak inflation outlook, and fully in line with our previous decisions. In the past, I have always avoided giving my opinion of monetary policy decisions immediately after Governing Council meetings.
I have decided to do so today, a few weeks after the last decisions were taken, mainly because of the recent media attention given to the discussion that followed that meeting. Intense and detailed internal discussions on the monetary policy options are indispensable, and always take place.