Nearly two full weeks since the government collapsed and five months after Ireland handed round the collection plate, Portugal are finally asking for help paying the bills.

FTAlphaville has this :

In a live TV address on Wednesday Portugal’s interim PM José Sócrates announced it was was requesting EU assistance:

06, 2011 3:39:29 PM RTRS – PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES SAYS FINANCIAL SITUATION WAS AGGRAVATED BY REJECTION OF AUSTERITY MEASURES

PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES DOES NOT SPECIFY WHAT TYPE OF AID, NOR HOW MUCH COUNTRY REQUESTING – RTRS

Wednesday, April 06, 2011 3:41:33 PM RTRS – PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES SAYS GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO SEEK FOREIGN AID

Wednesday, April 06, 2011 3:42:15 PM RTRS – PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES SAYS GOVERNMENT ASKED EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR HELP TO GUARANTEE FINANCING FOR ECONOMY

Wednesday, April 06, 2011 3:43:22 PM RTRS – PORTUGAL PM SOCRATES SAYS TRY TO GAIN BEST POSSIBLE TERMS IN NEGOTIATION FOR AID

Where will the next stop on the European bankruptcy tour be I wonder? Belgium or Spain?

Just as a reminder how bailouts actually work between countries that already owe each other many billions of Euros I will drag out this little piece of Australian satire once again :
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