That time has past...

Its a little late to announce that announcing you cannot even ask for a bailout from your neighbors. So much for "ever closer union" as this would seem to be a perfect opportunity for solidarity if it indeed existed.

Of course, it does not.

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said he can’t call for outside aid as his government struggles to cut the European Union’s largest budget deficit.

“The worst possible signal which we could send out is one calling for outside help,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Athens yesterday. “We will tackle the deficit,” he said, adding that tax revenues in January exceeded forecasts “by some percentage points.”