Casa opens consultations on Slovakia's euro bid

Nationalist MEP David Casa, in his capacity as the European Parliament's rapporteur on the possible bid of Slovakia to join the euro-area in 2009, has started a series of consultation meetings in Brussels in preparation for his report.

Slovakia is expected to be the next EU member state to apply to adopt the euro. The target date set by Bratislava is January 2009, however, the former communist country has still to submit its formal application.

Mr Casa last week held meetings with members of the Cabinet of Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia and also met Slovakia's Permanent Representative to the EU, Maros Sefcovic.

Mr Casa is shortly expected to visit Slovakia where he will be meeting senior government and Central Bank officials.