Germany's finance minister has opined that eurozone states that need aid from the bloc's bailout fund to tackle the coronavirus pandemic should get it quickly and not be first subjected to visits from officials proposing policies, as happened during the global financial crisis.
Olaf Scholz told broadcaster ARD on Thursday night that he was convinced that the ESM - a bailout fund with €400bn in firepower - had instruments suitable for use during the outbreak. "We have the possibility to say we can do something as a precaution," Scholz said.
He added any such action would be tied to rules but that these needed to be appropriate for the current situation in which funds were required for health and securing jobs.