08/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - Leader of the Civic Platform (PO) and Prime Ministerial candidate Donald Tusk has said that Poland could join the euro area in 2012-2013. “There is cautious mention of the date 2012-2013,” he is quoted as saying on 7 November by Polish news agency PAP. “This caution is advisable because the government that makes such a decision will have, in all responsibility, to consider a possible rise in the cost of living,” he added. Apart from Poland, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Sweden have all to decide on a date for joining the euro area. While Estonia and Lithuania both want to join as quickly as possible (in 2011 at the earliest for Tallinn and after 2010 for Vilnius), they also have to make their decision. However, Slovakia is targeting 1 January 2009 and Romania is planning to join in 2014. (A.B.)