TALLINN, Estonia (MNI) – European Central Bank President
Jean-Claude Trichet said Sunday that the fact that Estonia will join the
EMU on January 1 next year proves that the Eurozone is not a closed
shop.
“The forthcoming enlargement of the euro area to include Estonia
demonstrates that the euro area is not a closed shop,” Trichet said on
the occasion of the Euro Star event here. “Its doors are open to the EU
member states that fulfill the necessary preconditions in a sustainable
manner,” he stressed.
January 1 of next year “will become a landmark in the history of
Estonia, reflecting the long and challenging process of monetary
integration that has enabled Estonia to join the euro area,” the ECB
President said.
Trichet praised the “excellent cooperation” with the Estonian
central bank and government. “And this, I am sure, will make the
introduction of the euro in Estonia a success,” he said.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
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