Foto: BOBO

 

At a special Council which took place today against the backdrop of the European Council meeting, Prime Ministers and Presidents of EU member states approved the first enlargement of the Eurozone to include only one new member state, Slovenia. Thus on 1 January 2007, Slovenia will have the right to introduce the euro as her official currency. The European Council welcomed Slovenia's accession to the European Monetary Union, and said it was a great achievement. Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Janša said: "This is the most positive resolution of this European Council, and a historic event for Slovenia."

 

Slovenia received congratulations from all EU member states, the European Central Bank, and the European Commission. The PM stressed that the enlargement of the Eurozone to include Slovenia proved that the process of further integration within the EU is very much alive and continuing.

 

The legal basis for Slovenia's accession to the European Economic and Monetary Union, and the official exchange rate will be adopted by financial ministers at the ECOFIN meeting on 11 July 2006.