Six out of 10 Slovaks consider the euro to be a good thing for the Slovak economy, while some 30 percent think the opposite, according to an analysis by Poštová Banka, published on January 31, and the latest Eurobarometer survey. The result puts Slovakia among the more optimistic eurozone countries in terms of public attitudes towards the single currency.
An even higher proportion of Slovaks – nearly three-quarters of those surveyed – said they view the common European currency as a positive thing for the European Union. The euro has not made Slovaks more devout Europeans, however, as only one-fifth of them said they felt more European. "We're thus among the countries that share this sentiment to the lowest degree," said Poštová Banka analyst Eva Sadovská, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
The poll also revealed that 38 percent of people continue to convert prices in euros into Slovak crowns (which ceased to be legal tender four years ago). This makes Slovaks the most likely to engage in such calculations anywhere in the eurozone. When it comes to paying in euro coins, 71 percent of Slovaks said that this causes no problems for them. With banknotes, the same was true for 88 percent of those questioned. In both cases, however, Slovakia was below the eurozone average.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
