08/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - German Christian Democrat MEP Werner Langen, the European Parliament rapporteur on Lithuania and Slovenia joining the euro, is calling on Lithuania to accept the Stability Pact criteria (see EUROPE 9206 on the debate at the ECOFIN Council of Lithuania's failure to meet the inflation criterion). Langen explains in a press release that Lithuania's disappointment at narrowly missing the inflation rate authorised by the Stability Pact is perfectly understandable, but the fact that the Lithuanian prime minister has announced postponing application to join the eurozone until 2009 while the Lithuanian finance minister is calling for Lithuania to be allowed to join the euro immediately casts doubt on Lithuania's intentions. Langen warns against false debates at the European Council next week on whether or not to change the Maastricht criteria. Langen explains that EU Commissioner Joaquin Almunia has rightly pointed out that the only way to change the Stability Pact criteria is by unanimous decision-making.