Euro Arrives in Slovenia with a Bang

Ljubljana, 1 January - At the stroke of the New Year Slovenia formally scrapped its national currency, the tolar, to adopt the euro and become the 13th member of the eurozone, in what has been labelled as a historical step for Slovenia as well as the EU. The transition went smoothly and people can already withdraw crisp euros from ATMs.

Ljubljana Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Thousands of balloons with euro signs were distributed to revelers and released in the air at the stroke of midnight to welcome the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Former central bank governor Mitja Gaspari withdraws cash soon after ATMs are brought online and start dispensing euros. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Former central bank governor Mitja Gaspari withdraws cash soon after ATMs are brought online and start dispensing euros.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana People start paying with euros soon after midnight. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
People start paying with euros soon after midnight.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana People start paying with euros soon after midnight. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
People start paying with euros soon after midnight.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, NLB NLB chairman Marjan Kramar announces that all systems survived the transition to the euro and are functioning smoothly. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, NLB
NLB chairman Marjan Kramar announces that all systems survived the transition to the euro and are functioning smoothly.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, NLB NLB chairman Marjan Kramar announces that all systems survived the transition to the euro and are functioning smoothly. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, NLB
NLB chairman Marjan Kramar announces that all systems survived the transition to the euro and are functioning smoothly.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk (left), central bank Governor Mitja Gaspari (centre) and his predecessor France Arhar (right) celebrate the adoption of the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk (left), central bank Governor Mitja Gaspari (centre) and his predecessor France Arhar (right) celebrate the adoption of the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije. Guverner Banke Slovenije Mitja Gaspari je ob prehodu na evro zamenjal tolarje v evre na blagajni Banke Slovenije. Foto: Bogdan Macarol za STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije.
Guverner Banke Slovenije Mitja Gaspari je ob prehodu na evro zamenjal tolarje v evre na blagajni Banke Slovenije.
Foto: Bogdan Macarol za STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight. Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije
Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight.
Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight. Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije
Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight.
Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight. Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije
Mitja Gaspari, the governor of the central bank, Banka Slovenije, changes tolars into euros just minutes after midnight.
Photo: Bogdan Macarol for STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije Central bank Governor Mitja Gaspari (right), his predecessor France Arhar (centre) and Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk (left) speak to the press just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the euro. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana, Banka Slovenije
Central bank Governor Mitja Gaspari (right), his predecessor France Arhar (centre) and Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk (left) speak to the press just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the euro.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana People start paying with euros as Slovenia enters the eurozone. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
People start paying with euros as Slovenia enters the eurozone.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana A laser-projected countdown to e-day in the centre of Ljubljana. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
A laser-projected countdown to e-day in the centre of Ljubljana.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana A laser-projected countdown to e-day in the centre of Ljubljana. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
A laser-projected countdown to e-day in the centre of Ljubljana.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk speaking to the press after he withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Ljubljana
Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk withdraws euros from an ATM just minutes after Slovenia formally adopts the single European currency.
Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

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