Hans-Peter Martin (NI). – (DE) Mr President, Mr Trichet, firstly, I would like to congratulate you on what you have achieved in recent years. However, at the same time, you must be aware that hundreds of millions of people are currently holding their breath because they are worried about the euro, which is something that we did not expect to see in this generation.

Firstly, we are worried about what will happen next with the six-monthly and yearly refinancing operations and whether you will succeed in withdrawing from this package of extraordinary liquidity measures. Only those people with a masochistic tendency when it comes to financial policy could fail to wish you luck in this respect. However, inflation is also a cause for concern and you are making good progress in this area. As an Austrian, I would like to advise against the Germany-bashing that has been taking place here. Everyone should be aware Germany has been the source of a great deal of stability in the past. It should not now be punished because it has achieved better results in many areas than other countries. It is not possible to show solidarity with people who have been responsible for mismanagement, waste and excessive administrative measures.