Mal Fletcher comments

Hope is inspired by people who act in selfless or unexpected ways, showing a type of courage that soon becomes contagious.

Perhaps we should insist that all Eurocrats take a pay freeze for the next two years, until Europe's financials are more secure going forward. Then we might offer them a small increase along with performance-based bonuses.

These bonuses should then be based not on arbitrary and self-imposed quotes, wrapped in the legalese of normal EU treatises, but on things that measurably improve the lives of real Europeans.

If administrators can help to lighten the burden on business, so that growth and trade are not hampered by red-tape; if they make it less difficult for worthy charities to receive the much-vaunted but incredibly difficult to get EU grants; if they can help build better roads, schools and hospitals, then and only then should they receive their bonuses.

If we went with a system like that, we'd be sending functionaries a message: 'If you behave only as functionaries, we'll pay you only servants' wages.'

In any enterprise, from a small business to an international body, people need confidence more than rules when they're faced with major challenges. They need leadership, not mere administration.