It isnt a trial balloon, and the author of the article is an idiot.
The money is gone. All gone. Cyprus has no money to pay depositors anything at all. Nothing.
To pay their depositors...to even keep the ATMs supplied with electricity, Cyprus must borrow money from foreign banks or governments.
The EU said OK, for a 10% tax.
The idiot author of the article thinks that means that 90% of Cyprus bank deposits exists.
It doesnt.
There is 0% available.
Cyprus depositors can have 0% or 90%.
Of course, the reality is that banks in Greece, Spain, and Italy are in the same boat...and depositors there will want to withdraw their money before they get hit with the Cyprus tax.
Bank run!
Some folks don't seem to get that each and every single euro given to those banks is a boon to those account holders, and, of course, is confiscated from other people.