In order to realize this vision, a strong political will is imperative. I sincerely hope that the European authorities – by taking advantage of the responsiveness that has been nurtured and the mutual trust that has been established through the course of history in Europe – will take bold measures to address the fundamental problem. IV.
The interest payment burden remains high relative to the OECD average, but is in a trend of decline, which has accelerated in the past two years.