Central Bank Governor Sees Inflation as the Main Problem

Ljubljana, 9 November - It would be good if Slovenia met the Maastricht criteria when it enters the EU's Exchange Rate Mechanism II (ERM II), presumably in the second half of 2004. Inflation will be the main problem, but it is Slovenia's goal to bring it down to under four percent in the first half of 2004, central bank governor Mitja Gaspari said in an interview for STA. His personal opinion is that the entry of EU newcomers to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is quite open. It is not very likely though that Slovenia could become part of the eurozone in the earliest possible time, by 2007, according to Gaspari.