THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The eurozone's top official has defended himself in a newspaper interview after weeks of harsh criticism for comments he made in a March interview with a German paper, saying "it looks like I committed a war crime."

Jeroen Dijsselbloem has been under fire from countries in southern Europe over the German interview in which he said: "I cannot spend all my money on liquor and women and then ask for your support," in reference to European countries that needed state bailouts.

In comments published Monday by De Volkskrant newspaper, Dijsselbloem says "fatigue may have played a role" in his choice of words, but adds "it was my way of expressing that solidarity is not charity."

He says the anger at the comments is "anger at eight years of crisis policy."