At a joint press conference Angela Merkel made it plain that the euro is more than just an economic project. She further underscored the fact that every state will have to work on its own reforms. The euro zone as a whole must regain its credibility, she said.

In view of yesterday’s decision by the European Central Bank, Chancellor Angela Merkel pointed out that the bank is absolutely committed to a stable currency. The ECB has also made it quite clear that the future of the euro will be determined largely by action at political level. It will only be possible for the ECB to purchase government bonds issued by debt-burdened member states under certain conditions. This conditionality is an important point. Control and assistance must go hand in hand. This is the way it has always been.

Bilateral relations "excellent"

In her podcast, Chancellor Angela Merkel deemed German-Austrian relations excellent. The common language and their long shared history bring the two countries together. Thanks to the open borders, Germany and Austria enjoy thriving economic and cultural exchange and cooperate closely at political level within the EU and the United Nations.

To the Chancellor’s podcast (in german)