”I was left with the fundamental choice between what was interpreted as the paramount financial interests of the financial market in Europe with respect to Iceland and on the other hand the democratic will of my people. And I came to the conclusion that our society, like Europe or the Western world, is more about democracy than it is about the financial market. If we start sacrificing democratic elements of our societies for financial expediencies we have, in my opinion, entered a very dangerous journey.“
— President of Iceland, Olafur Grimmson
http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/audioplayer.html?clipid=2175162753
(interview starts 9 minutes into audio. Transcript below.)