Brussels, 12/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - In Slovenia, virtually all cash payments are now being made in euro, the Commission said on Friday. With the tolar about to disappear with the end of the dual circulation period on 14 January, the euro will become the sole legal tender in Slovenia. The country's first two weeks with the euro have gone smoothly, with no major problems encountered in the cash changeover (see EUROPE 9335). According to a poll carried out on 10 November, 94% of Slovenes had “only” or “mostly” euro banknotes. On that date, almost 80% in value of Slovenia's former currency had been returned to banks and withdrawn from circulation. While the tolar will cease to be legal tender after 14 January, Slovenes will still be able to exchange their former currency free of charge until 1 March in commercial banks, and beyond that date at the Bank of Slovenia. To mark the coming of the euro, a conference will be held on Monday 15 January with Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia and the Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potoènik, a Slovene himself. The survey mentioned above is available on the commission website: http: //ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/slovenia/main_en.htm (ab)