Brussels, 30/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The transition from the tolar to the euro was completed without incident, the Slovenian Finance Minister explained to his opposite numbers from the Twenty-Seven on Tuesday. The only cause for concern mentioned by Andrej Bajuk related to the final impact of the new currency on prices. However, the Slovenian population knows whom to blame, as the sectors in question are the same as when the single currency was introduced in 2002 (restaurants and cafes), the minister added. The President of the Slovenian Central Bank, Mitja Gaspari, had also taken note of price increases in these sectors, as well as in the hairdressing sector. At the Ecofin meeting, Joaquín Almunia and Jean-Claude Trichet spoke more about this, on the one hand praising the country for its preparations, but on the other, lamenting the fact that the perceived price increases on the part of the citizens may be higher than the actual increases in real terms. Abuse will help to send out the “wrong message to the citizens”, but the “euro does not deserve to be put on trial like this”, Mr Almunia told the press after the meeting.
Brought into circulation on 1 January 2007, the euro has been the only currency with legal tender in Slovenia since 15 January, but the old currency can still be exchanged free of charge at commercial banks until 1 March, and thereafter at the Bank of Slovenia. When the tolar was finally abandoned in mid-January, the Slovenian consumer association received more than 750 complaints, relating to the services mentioned above, but also the banking sector (for Internet transfer rates and charges for using bank ATMs). (ab)