Contagion: Source may be localized, but effects are more widespread (Der Spiegel)

Dutch Finance Minister on the Debt Crisis

'We Are All Threatened by Contagion'

By Christian Reiermann

AP

Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees De Jager (L), talking to his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble.

In an interview with SPIEGEL, Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager calls on the German government to remain firm in its opposition to euro bonds. He also warns that even the fiscally solid nations of the euro zone will get into trouble if they keep having to increase the volume of the bailout fund.

SPIEGEL: Minister, an increasing number of voices in the EU are calling for euro bonds to be used to end the crisis in the euro zone. Are you among these advocates?

De Jager: No, absolutely not. Euro bonds are not the solution. You cannot end a debt crisis by introducing a new form of debt. Instead, the countries concerned have to tighten up their budgets and introduce reforms to get their economies back on track. Euro bonds are no alternative -- on the contrary, they would have a perverse effect.

SPIEGEL: How so?

De Jager: Euro bonds remove every incentive for ailing countries to return to sensible fiscal and economic policies. Since they offer lower interest rates than their previous government bonds, they induce governments to run up more debt instead of saving. I call that perverse.

READ FULL INTERVIEW HERE