SLOVAKIA might be the first new member of the EU to adopt the euro, leaving behind its neighbours Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, based on the opinions of Slovak economists, the daily SME reported.
The economists agreed that Slovakia has an 80-percent chance of being able to start using the single currency as of 2009.
According to the economists, the risk of the next government changing tack and rescheduling Slovakia's euro-adoption policy is lower than 30 percent.
Meanwhile, the original 2010 euro-adoption date set by Hungary is now in doubt, as Slovakia's southern neighbour is hard put to cope with its high fiscal deficit.
The Slovak Finance Ministry says that if any delay is to occur in adopting the euro, it would be due to political reasons.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The
Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
2. Nov 2005 at 10:39
