Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte demanded Friday the EU "nail down" budget reforms to break the deadlock on a huge coronavirus recovery deal ahead of a summit next week. Rutte is the unofficial leader of the "frugal four" states of the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden that oppose the current terms of the 750-billion-euro package. "As far as the Netherlands goes, it is very important that you nail down the reforms as we have heard promises on economic reforms before," Rutte told a press conference. "I think this is very important." A stream of EU leaders has sought to persuade Rutte in talks in recent weeks, with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte coming to The Hague on Friday night. Rutte, however, insisted he did not feel under pressure to make a deal. "I'm not made of marzipan, I can handle it," he said. "It is not the Netherlands against the rest. It is part of the mutual discussion," Rutte said. The frugals want tough fiscal reform conditions attached to any money given to debt-hit southern states like Spain and Italy that have been worst hit by the crisis. EU chief Charles Michel on Friday made his latest proposal for the pandemic recovery fund in the hope of winning over the more sceptical countries before the July 17-18 summit. jhe-dk/spm