Brussels, 07/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - Pleased with the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) to keep interest rates stable in the eurozone, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday 6 September that the debate on monetary policy to which he contributes quite regularly was beginning to bear fruit - an approach not shared by Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker, who deplored Sarkozy's comments and the pressure that Paris has been putting on the ECB. “The way some French people think the ECB should be at their orders … is a way to upset the system and is in no one's interests”, Mr Juncker said speaking to Belgian businessmen during a conference on Friday 7 September. The Luxembourg prime minister and minister for the economy added: “If some leaders (…) declare that the fact that the bank did not increase rates as initially expected is due to their influence, that's not virtuous behaviour, that is not noble, that is not correct and that is risky”.
“Everyone knows that we are fiercely independent”, Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB President, said firmly during the press conference that followed the meeting of the Governing Council (EUROPE 9496), adding that the ECB's unanimous decision is the result of “our own analysis”. He went on to stress that, if comments from political spheres were to have an influence, “it would be in the reverse direction”. (ab)