Brdo, 07/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - Slovakia has asked the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) to check whether it meets the criteria to be able to join the euro on 1 January 2009, explained Joaquin Almunia and Jean-Claude Trichet on Saturday 5 April after the meeting of EU finance ministers in Slovenia. Slovakia's performance will now be examined in line with the Maastricht Criteria (price stability, health of public finances, interest rates and exchange rates), pointed out the President of the ECB, Trichet, who said the convergence criteria had to be met in a sustained manner. On 7 May 2008, the European Commission and the ECB will be publishing convergence reports for all EU member states which have not yet adopted the euro and have not opted out (all EU member states have to join the euro apart from the United Kingdom and Denmark, which opted out). The publication of the European Commission's spring economic forecasts, scheduled for 28 April, will give valuable indications about Slovakia's ability to meet the objectives, particularly in terms of correcting its excess budget deficit and inflation. If the analysis is positive, the ECOFIN Council will then recommend to heads of state at the June 2008 European Council that Slovakia should be allowed to join the euro. In July 2008, finance ministers would then decide on the irrevocable exchange rate for the Slovakian crown against the euro. (A.B.)