Markets force Berlusconi to break silence / Berlusconi says Italy will survive crisis

Article says that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was forced to break a month of near-total silence to defend his economic policies and prevent Europe’s sovereign debt crisis from transforming into a full-blown political emergency for his centre-right government by speaking to both houses of the Italian parliament on the 3 August 2011.

EUObserver, 2.8.11: EU 'astonished' at soaring costs for Italy and Spain http://euobserver.com/9/32675

EurActiv, 4.8.11: Italy’s turmoil adds to economic woes http://www.euractiv.com/en/euro-finance/italy-turmoil-adds-economic-woes-news-506894

La Stampa, 4.8.11: The king’s pointless speech http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/833331-king-s-pointless-speech

Corriere della Sera, 4.8.11: Premier Says Italy’s Economy is Sound http://www.corriere.it/International/english/articoli/2011/08/04/crisis-speech-berlusconi.shtml

ESO: Background information: Italy: A throne under threat http://www.europeansources.info/record/italy-a-throne-under-threat/

ESO: Background information: Italy's Downward Spiral Accelerates http://www.europeansources.info/record/italys-downward-spiral-accelerates/

BBC News, 2.8.11: Spain PM postpones holiday as debt fears hit record http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14375056

EUObserver, 4.8.11: Berlusconi pep talk struggles to persuade markets http://euobserver.com/9/32681

CEBR: Press Release, 4.8.11: Realistically, Italy is bound to default, but Spain may just getaway without having to do so http://www.cebr.com/wp-content/uploads/Which-of-the-Southern-European-countries-can-repay-their-debt1.pdf

BBC News, 3.8.11: Silvio Berlusconi says Italy banks 'solid and solvent' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14392943

Deutsche Welle, 3.8.11: Troubled Italy seeks to calm market alarm http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15291416,00.html

France24, 3.8.11: Berlusconi vows to boost economy, calm market fears http://www.france24.com/en/20110803-berlusconi-vows-economy-boost-appease-market-fears-stability-eu-italy-crisis

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