Saariselka, Finland (CNN) -- It has been a long and cold winter in Europe. You might think an invitation to spend a weekend in Northern Finland with more icy weather would be the last thing anyone would have wanted. Not a bit of it. When the invitation came to attend the Lapland Retreat deep in the Arctic Circle I jumped at the chance. Finland's PM Jyrki Katainen and Europe minister Alex Stubb, host the retreat and this year invited the prime ministers of Denmark, Croatia and Latvia, along with the president of Estonia, the deputy PM of Turkey and the Europe minister from Ireland. Several more including a member of the ECB and ministers from Spain and Portugal pulled out at the last moment.
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Finland's political leaders held an informal summit in Saariselka, Lapland this weekend
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Policy-makers from Spain and Portugal pulled out at the last minute
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Quest: Retreat was an opportunity to see leaders "at their most honest"
Alex Stubb, its @placeholder minister, made clear the future for European rescues is bailing in with investors' money not bailing out with Finland's taxpayer cash.