Lithuania enters the Euro

In a climate of apprehension for the developments of international conflict and the Ukrainian awakened Russian nationalism, which is much feared in the country, Lithuania is preparing to join the single European currency. The last of the Baltic countries, formerly belonging to the Soviet Union, completes the regional geographic context of the accession to the euro, after Estonia adopted the European single currency in 2011 and Latvia in 2014. This brings to 19 of 28 EU countries that share the common currency that is the eurozone. Lithuania is a further element of European integration and Western, after accession to the EU and NATO. For the Government of the Vilnius process concluded with the entry into the euro, is the final moment of full European integration and also a component that allows you to feel more and more as part of the West. It is a matter not only economic but also political and social approaches the Baltic country to the big European countries. Recent surveys on the accession to the euro speak of a rate of support in the country around 53%, while opponents come to 39%. If the majority is overwhelming, the percentage of reports against the strong doubts about the real benefits of the single currency and on the practical effects that produce the Lithuanian society. Especially in the older segments of the population is feared the decrease in purchasing power and the loss of value of wages and pensions on account of a feared rise in prices, as has happened in other countries in periods subsequent to the transition from national currencies to the European . Concerns are mainly the effects of possible debt contagion from southern European countries; for this reason, the Central Bank of Vilnius has promised a contribution in the order of hundreds of million euro to the fund referred to the European rescue of the southern countries. This factor is a concern at the macro level because it threatens to increase the country's debt without direct effects within national borders. However, the government dismisses these fears citing positive examples of neighboring countries Estonia and Latvia and the full European integration which will facilitate the movement of people and goods capital to invest also in the country. The Lithuanian economy is going through a good period of growth and could be a good opportunity for foreign companies to invest in a solid production structure.