Let’s be quite clear about this: If these measures go forward as planned, there will be an effect. It will be felt. You cannot tinker around, undermine the foundations of a country’s unwritten constitution, based on practice and history, and not expect to have a result. It’s as simple as that.”

Many people say it's a matter of democracy. That is the core - but there is also the core of judicial certainty. You need to know that if you sign a contract, if you make an investment, if you commit yourself, that the law tomorrow will not have perversely changed from the law today. And these laws being put forward will change that," he claimed.

Asked about the argument that the economists who are warning about the reforms are causing the problem rather than the reform itself, Quest replied, "That’s just a circular argument that it was the economists who did it because the economists’ forecast is ‘The sky is falling! The sky is falling!’ and it wouldn’t have fallen if they hadn’t said it. Absolute [nonsense]. That is absolutely the definition of blaming the messenger for the message. This government clearly was elected and clearly can reform. The problem here is that there is a consensus of opponents, who all say this will be very damaging to the economy