The chairman of euro zone finance ministers Jeroen Dijsselbloem did not criticize any particular country or region, his spokesman said after Dijsselbloem’s remarks, seen as negative toward southern Europe, sparked calls for his resignation.

Dijsselbloem said  to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper in an interview published on March 20 that northern European countries showed solidarity with countries in crisis during the sovereign debt crisis started in 2010 by Greece.

“As a Social Democrat, I believe solidarity is extremely important. But whoever demands it, also has obligations. I can’t spend all my money on booze and women and then ask you for your support. This principle holds at personal, local, national and even European levels,” he told the paper.