The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) said it supported an early introduction of the euro in Slovakia.
NBS governor Marian Jusko said that the advantages outweighed the drawbacks that the introduction of the EU currency would bring to this central European state.
"The advantage is a more stable economic environment. It will not be necessary to face risks resulting from moving rates, and expenses related to exchanges of [Western] currencies will also be dropped," Jusko told the Slovak daily Pravda.
Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš said that the country intended to fulfil the economic criteria required for the introduction of the currency by 2008 or 2010.
Compiled by Martina Pisárová from press reports.
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