Juncker calls for eurozone discipline after Austria gaffe

VIENNA - Agence France-Presse

Juncker joins an event where he addresses European Parliament members under 40. REUTERS photo

Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker called yesterday for more “discipline” from top EU officials after Austria’s finance minister leaked an “embryonic decision” from high-stakes talks last week.

“All I can do is make a permanent call for discipline of those involved ... I am very much in favor of transparency but against loose talk,” Juncker told Austrian broadcaster ORF.

“Sometimes we have market-relevant information, which if released early before a debate has been completed could lead to turbulence in the markets. This hurts people, including many ordinary people,” he said.

He said that after initially being “annoyed” on March 30 after “my friend Maria” told reporters before a news conference that eurozone finance ministers had struck a deal to boost their crisis “firewall”, the incident was now “forgotten.”

He denied however that he was angry because of health problems, as claimed by Fekter afterwards.

On the question of who will succeed him when he steps down later this year, Juncker said that there were a “number of names being floated” and that he had a personal favorite whom he did not name. “We have not reached a point where we could make a decision ... The French government would also prefer it if the decision is taken after the French presidential election,” Juncker said.