PM Topolanek against setting date for euro adoption

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, says he is against the setting of a concrete target date for adoption of the euro. In an interview for Reuters, Mr Topolanek said if the Czech Republic set a date for adoption this year it might not be able to meet it. The prime minister's position contrasts with that previously stated by the Czech finance minister, Miroslav Kalousek: he had been pushing the cabinet to set 2012 as a target date. However, Mr Kalousek now says he may drop that proposal. The previous Czech government had at one point hoped to introduce the single European currency in 2009.

Author: Ian Willoughby