Over for denne kritik truede den tyske udenrigsminister Joschka Fischer brysk med de finansielle overslag for 2007-2013, som pressen forstod som en ulyksalig budgetafpresning.
These criticisms received a blunt response from Mr Oskar Fischer in the form of the financial forecasts for 2007-13. The press correctly interpreted the German minister's threat as ill-judged budgetary blackmail.