Euro zone stability of key importance, says Van Rompuy

The stability of the eurozone is a matter of key importance and all member states are ready to do more to ensure stability, president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said on Tuesday in Budapest.

Van Rompuy told a conference organised by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences that every member state must adhere to the strictest financial criteria and a solution must be found to combat indebtendness.

Europe must fulfil a pioneering role in research and innovation and establish conditions that encourage young scientists to stay on the Continent, Van Rompuy said. At the same time, obstacles to scientists' mobility must be pulled down, he added.

Van Rompuy welcomed Hungary's plan to place special emphasis to the Western Balkans during its upcoming European Union presidency. Ever since the collapse of the Iron Curtain, Hungary has done much to promote cooperation between East and West, he added.