by Calculated Risk on 2/15/2010 11:18:00 AM

A few articles this morning ...

From Bloomberg: Europe Economy Chief Calls for More Steps by Greece

The European Union’s top economic official said Greece should take more measures to cut the region’s largest budget deficit as evidence emerged that the nation may have used swaps to mask its swelling debt.

From The Times: Greece refuses EU austerity measures demand

... Olli Rehn, the new EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs said: "Our view is that risks... are materialising, and therefore there is a clear case for additional measures.”
...
[George Papaconstantinou, Greece's Finance Minister] said: “If we announce today new measures, will that stop markets attacking Greece?

"My guess is that what will stop markets attacking Greece at the moment is a further more explicit message that makes operational what has been decided last Thursday at the European council."

And on the swaps from Simon Johnson at Baseline Scenario: Goldman Goes Rogue – Special European Audit To Follow

Remember Greece is a small country with about 10 million people. And they have a special problem because the previous government published false data on the size of their debt and deficit. The larger problem is how a single currency works when different countries have different issues ...

From Paul Krugman: The Making of a Euromess

I’ve been troubled by reporting that focuses almost exclusively on European debts and deficits ... For the truth is that lack of fiscal discipline isn’t the whole, or even the main, source of Europe’s troubles — not even in Greece, whose government was indeed irresponsible (and hid its irresponsibility with creative accounting).

No, the real story behind the euromess lies not in the profligacy of politicians but in the ... policy [of] adopting a single currency well before the continent was ready for such an experiment.