Kristiina Ojuland (ALDE). – Mr President, I would like to join the previous speaker in thanking Commissioner Almunia. He has a clear view on the differences in different countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the current state of their economic and financial situation.

The Commissioner mentioned Estonia. I come from Estonia, and it has not been an easy job to fulfil our aspirations of joining the euro area, but the one thing I think we might share with the other countries around is self-responsibility. I have not heard the word ‘self-responsibility’ in this assembly in this debate so far; there is only the word ‘solidarity’. How can we expect solidarity if we have big world competitors like China and India racing ahead? I think in the European Union we should be much more pragmatic and think what our national governments are responsible for.

It is difficult in these times to make cuts. In Estonia, it has been very difficult to cut expenditure in state government, yet we have been doing this for years. In the good years – in the booming years – we were able to make reserves, and nobody else – only the Member States’ governments – is responsible for that.