German Finance Minister Hans Eichel is reflected as he addresses the
lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin September 9, 2003.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate on the 2004 federal budget, he said
an assumption of two percent growth for the German economy would be
difficult to achieve, and defended plans to bring forward tax cuts
worth 15.6 billion euros to 2004. Eichel acknowledged the risks and
used his speech to appeal to the opposition to use its majority in the
Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament, to adopt measure the
government has proposed to help Germany respect EU rules on borrowing.
REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch REUTERS

AKW/JOH