Debt crisis: Angela Merkel quizzed on euro crisis 10.30 Financial markets are worried about whether the debts of Europe will be repaid, says Mrs Merkel. 10.23 Mrs Merkel says that the debate over the role of the ECB is "nothing new." She adds that current ECB president Mario Draghi's emphasis on monetary policy is important and that the central bank must not venture into the realm of fiscal policy. 10.18 Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann took a bit of a bashing from current and former colleagues this weekend. Former ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet and German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble both implied that they wished Mr Weidmann would not publicly voice his concerns about the central bank's bond buying programme because the rule that ECB council members should speak with one voice "is not being respected." Mrs Merkel is backing her man. She says there is nothing wrong with the Bundesbank chief expressing his opinions in public: I know him and I know that he's concerned that we have to solve the crisis in a truly sustainable way. Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann (Photo: Reuters). 10.12 The German reforms of the past are paying off, she says. But European GDP growth is too low. 10.10 The euro crisis will be solved "through politics," she says. She wants Europe to agree to closer political co-ordination by the end of the year. 10.08 No eurobonds, says Mrs Merkel - again. She stresses that there can be no shared burdens without shared control. The crisis will be solved one step at a time rather than via a "big bang," she says (translation courtesy of Bloomberg). German chancellor Angela Merkel is surrounded by photographers and cameramen as she arrives to give a press conference on her government's current national and international policy at the " Haus der Bundespressekonferenz " on Monday in Berlin (Photo: AFP). 10.05 Angela Merkel's annual press conference in Berlin has started. She begins by criticising the Sudanese protesters who stormed the German embassy in Khartoum, tearing down the flag and replacing it with an Islamic banner. 09.59 Silvio Berlusconi is back in the headlines this week - and not just for publishing *those* Kate photos. The former Italian prime minister told Il Giornale - another Berlusconi publication - that EU debt-reduction targets were "absolutely impossible" for Italy to achieve. Italy has been told to reduce its debt by €40bn to €50bn each year, which is absolutely impossible. Mr Berlusconi also called for tax cuts to boost economic growth. 09.34 Remember Sexy Alexi? The leader of Greece's SYRIZA party had some stern words for the government this weekend. Speaking at an International Fair in Northern Greece, Alexis Tsipras said that giving the country more time to implement austerity measures would only give it "more rope to hang ourselves with." We are being led into a drawn-out ordeal The climate is changing, but for the worse and if the government does eventually succeed in passing the measures for €11.5bn it will have little chance of longevity. Mr Tsipras, who urged mass public protests against the planned cuts, added: "What is important to us is that we do not continue down the slippery slope of disaster." 09.25 German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be quizzed on a range of topics - including the euro crisis - at her annual press conference in Berlin this morning (10am UK time). Ms Merkel took time out of her busy schedule this weekend to enjoy a football match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen: Angela Merkel poses with under 17 football players from Dortmund and Leverkusen prior to the German first division Bundesliga football match (Photo: AFP). 09.18 Spanish transport workers have called a strike today to protest against a restructuring of the sector that unions say will cost jobs. State rail company RENFE has cancelled around 300 high-speed and intercity train services. 09.08 Meanwhile, ordinary Spaniards have been protesting in their thousands this weekend against sweeping government cuts. Demonstrators fill up Madrid's Colon Square on Saturday during a protest against government's cutting measures (Photo: Reuters). Demonstrators carry banners as they march to Madrid's Colon Square during a protest over the weekend against government cuts (Photo: Reuters). 08.55 Spain's economy minister, Luis de Guindos, is in favour of asking for a Brussels rescue as soon as possible, according to Spanish daily El Pais. However, the paper reports that PM Mariano Rajoy prefers a wait-and-see approach because a bail-out would create "political stigma." El Pais, which cites unnamed sources, also said that Mr Rajoy has handed his economy minister a clear mandate: negotiate the finers of a bail-out deal - just in case. Spain's finance minister Luis de Guindos (Photo: AP). 08.47 More developments in Spain this weekend, where the country has been digging in its heels against further austerity measures. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard reports: 08.45 Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of the eurozone debt crisis.