Last week, the government of Germany – once the most fiscally prudent and disciplined EU country – broke the pact’s rules for fiscal discipline for the fifth consecutive year, and did so without (much) apology. Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck signaled that he expected the European Commission to apply some sanctions to Germany: the credibility of the pact would, he said, be at stake if no action were taken.
上周，德国政府，曾经是财政上最为审慎和自律的欧盟成员国，连续第五年打破了有关财政纪律的协定规则，并且未对其行为表示（多大）歉意。财政部长史坦布律克（Steinbrueck）表示，他预料到欧盟委员会对德国采取制裁措施：他说，如果不采取任何行动，协定的可信性将受到威胁。因此，德国这次不会像两年半以前那样抵制制裁。