The European Union’s new members from eastern and central Europe have been hit much harder by the crisis than the old member states; they are also much less prepared to confront the situation psychologically and socially. Many were gravely disappointed when European leaders earlier this month rejected pleas to establish a special support program for them.
东欧和中欧的欧盟新成员国所遭受的经济危机的打击，要比原欧盟成员国遭受的打击大得多；这些欧盟新成员国对抗经济危机的心理和社会准备，也没有老的欧盟成员国充分。本月初，在欧洲领导人拒绝了为这些欧盟新成员国设立一个特别支持项目的请求时，许多人感到非常失望。当然，德国总理安吉拉·默克尔指出，每个欧盟新成员国要根据其具体情形分别对待，这是正确的，但是，她和她的同僚应该为这些欧盟新成员国表达出更明确和有力的支持。