Merkel hails Brussels ‘breakthrough’

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel brushed aside the rift in the bloc from Britain’s veto and focused instead on the long term stability of the euro.

The leader of Europe’s biggest economy said she believed the decisions forged in Brussels were a, “breakthrough” which can lead to the development of fiscal union.

“We have made it clear, that Europe acknowledged the severity of the situation, and we have all made this clear together. We are determined to draw the right conclusions from the mistakes of the past. I believe, that with our actions here we have made an important step towards a permanently stable euro,” she told a news conference in Brussels.

Merkel added the accession of Croatia, which was signed on Friday in Brussels, was proof European unification has not lost its attraction. Along with France, Germany stressed that a deal with the 17 eurozone nations was better than nothing.

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