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For Monti, the future of Italy and the future of Europe are intrinsically connected. He has always been a passionate advocate of European integration and has consistently pressed for more of it. In his TIME interview, Monti expressed gratitude for the support given to him by the rest of Europe but lamented that faster euro-zone reform might have blunted some of the worst effects of the crisis. An unwillingness to devote sufficient resources to expand the zone's bailout fund, for example, has hampered the creation of a so-called firewall to protect Italy and other struggling countries from contagion. He also favors the introduction of eurobonds, which would be backed by all euro-zone governments, though other European leaders have fiercely opposed the idea. However, the bickering that has stymied such action, he believes, may finally be coming to a close. "I think there is a genuine wish on the part of the E.U. and Germany and France to again play an active game with Italy for a relaunch of European integration," he says. "I think we will be seeing an acceleration of the good news."
He's seeking more good news in the U.S. On Feb. 9, Monti has a high-profile summit with President Obama, and then he is off to New York City for meetings with the U.S. financial community. If he can convince global investors that Italy is truly reforming and is a safe place for their money, he will alleviate any fears of an Italian default. That alone would help further Monti's status as the man who's saving Europe. Italy's problems, though, run so deep that reform will need to continue long after he exits the scene. Monti hopes his administration can act as an example for his successors--of the benefits of the spirit of compromise. "Others will come," Monti says, and they will sense that public opinion no longer tolerates daily political conflicts whose objective is "to destroy your adversary and not to save the country." Italy and the entire global economy can only hope that is true.
TO SEE TIME'S INTERVIEW WITH MARIO MONTI, GO TO time.com/monti