Prague, June 6 (CTK) – The Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) want Prague to quickly join the ERM II mechanism, which is an early stage of the euro adoption, representatives of political parties said at a debate organised by the Chamber of Commerce today.
The junior government Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), the opposition STAN and TOP 09 also want the euro, while the rightist opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) are against it.
The government ANO movement came out against a quick introduction of the euro in the Chamber of Deputies.
“In our manifesto we want to promise that if Social Democracy is in the next government, we will do everything for entry into the system of exchange rates,” CSSD economic expert Michal Picl said.
He said this does not mean that the date of introduction of the euro would be firmly set, but this is to show European partners that Prague is interested in adopting the joint currency.
The condition of the euro adoption is at least a two-year participation in ERM II. During it the participating countries must maintain their currency in the permitted maximal fluctuation band towards the euro.
Slovakia, which adopted the euro at the beginning of 2009, participated in the mechanism from end-November 2005.
The KDU-CSL’s economic adviser, Ivan Pilip, said the government that will emerge from the October general election should quickly set the date of the euro introduction.
“It would be correct if the government planned it and were able to manage it within its election term,” he said.
“We welcome the euro project as political, which leads us to the civilised western world. We are in Central Europe and it has clearly proved that the more western values are there, the fewer eastern influences are there,” Marian Klasek, from TOP 09, said.
Veslav Michalik (STAN) said the euro would be advantageous for the Czech Republic in view of the Czech economy’s ties to Germany that uses this currency.
On the contrary, Jan Skopecek, an ODS lawmaker, said the euro is used by such different countries as Germany and Greece, which have long had a different rate of inflation and a different economic development.
“The single currency policy set by the European Central Bank is optimal either for the northern, or southern part, it is not possible to create a currency policy benefiting all,” he said.
“Countries with different structures of their economies can only share the currency at a high cost,” Skopecek said.
He said the introduction of the euro would bring the Czech Republic big costs, which would markedly exceed the savings which export firms would reach with the removal of the exchange rate risk.
Skopecek said the ODS will seek a referendum on the euro adoption.
ANO chairman Andrej Babis said previously in the Chamber of Deputies there is no hurry introducing the euro.
He said if the euro zone were reformed, the movement would be ready to discuss it, but now it is nonsensical.
Babis said euro zone membership would be risky and that he does not want the Czech Republic to guarantee Greek debts and problems of Italian banks.
The Chamber of Commerce released today the results of a poll conducted on its members, in which 56 percent of the firms questioned said they do not consider the euro adoption to be so urgent so that the new government should deal with it at the beginning of its term.
The opposite opinion was expressed by 4 percent of firms and one fifth do not have a clear-cut stance.
“Entering the euro zone is really a big step that must be well considered. That is why I would ask politicians not to hurry up with the date and to well consider all pros and cons,” Vladimir Dlouhy, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, said.
