Slightly off note in time for the Euro celebrations.

In a surprisingly candid moment, Jean-Claude Junker, PM of Luxembourg and hyper euro-elite member talks about the Euro in the Figaro,

"Il est vrai que dix ans après l'introduction de l'euro on constate que cette zone euro présente un point faible : son faible potentiel de croissance".

Or in my cod translation,
"It is true that ten years after the introduction of the Euro we are aware thta the Eurozone has a weakness: its weak growth potential".

Given that tomorrow we are going to experience the horros of a full formal sitting and solemn celebration of the anniversary this is tantamount to blasphemy. Particularly given he is a speaker,

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Euro
Plenary Session, Strasbourg - 13 January 2009

9h55 - 10h00: Photo opportunity, Protocol Room

10h00 - 11h15: Official ceremony in the hemicycle
Historical video
Opening speech by President Hans-Gert Pöttering
Guest speakers:
Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Eurogroup
Joaquín Almunia, Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs
Concluding remarks and vote of thanks by Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, former President of the French Republic
Debate with the participation of Pervenche Berès, Chairwoman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs,
Werner Langen, co-rapporteur on the report on "The first ten years of Economic and Monetary Union and Future challenges", and the representatives of the political groups

European Hymn
11h30 - 13h00:
Colloquium on the "Role of the Euro in managing the economic and financial crisis"

chaired by Pervenche Berès, Chairwoman of the Committee on Economic
and Monetary Affairs, Room Winston Churchill
Invitees and guests speakers:
Joaquín Almunia, Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs
José María Gil-Robles, former President of European Parliament
Karl von Wogau, MEP, former Chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Christa Randzio Plath, former Chairwoman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Jesús Martínez de Rioja Vázquez, director of the economic newspaper "Expansión", (Spain)
Isabelle Couet, Markets service of "Les Echos" (France)
Carlo Bastasin, editor of the economic newspaper "Il Sole 24 ore" (Italy)
Milan Buno, editor of foreign-economic department of Radio Slovensko (Slovakia)
John Thornhill, editor of the Europe edition of the "Financial Times", (United Kingdom)

This bottom lot are the 'grand plumes', the media, bought and sold.