In the European Union, each Member State is primarily responsible for its own finances. And that is why, in normal times, large-scale transfers risk undermining a country’s individual responsibility and incentives to manage its own financial affairs. But in times of acute crisis, solidarity is the order of the day. How far this support goes is a matter for politicians to decide, of course.
After all, they have been democratically elected to make decisions of this kind. The EU Heads of State or Government had already put together a first major assistance programme back in the spring.