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Almost Half of Lithuanians Against Introduction of Euro: Poll

© Sputnik / Ruslan Krivobok / Go to the mediabankAlmost half of the population of Lithuania oppose the introduction of the euro in their country scheduled for January 2015.
Almost half of the population of Lithuania oppose the introduction of the euro in their country scheduled for January 2015. - Sputnik International
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Almost half of the population of Lithuania oppose the introduction of the euro in their country scheduled for January 2015, according results of a Eurobarometer poll released Thursday.

MOSCOW, September 25 (RIA Novosti) - Almost half of the population of Lithuania oppose the introduction of the euro in their country scheduled for January 2015, according results of a Eurobarometer poll released Thursday.

"A relative majority respondents (49%, +1 compared with April 2014) are against introducing the euro, of which 23% (+3) are very much against and 26% (-2) are rather against. Slightly fewer respondents (47%, +1) are in favour, with 16% (+4) very much in favour and 31% (+3) rather in favour," the report says.

According to the report, 96 percent of Lithuanians are aware of the introduction of euro in Lithuania in 2015 and seven people out of 10 believe that they are well informed about the currency. However attitudes toward the currency switch vary greatly as 48 percent of Lithuanians believe that the introduction of the euro will have negative consequences for their country while 44 percent think otherwise.

More than three-quarters, or 76 percent of respondents, are concerned about abusive price setting during the changeover and more than six out of 10 respondents, or 62 percent, say that adopting the euro will mean that Lithuania "will lose a part of its identity."

The survey, involving 1,000 Lithuanians, was carried out on September 4 to 6 at request of European Commission.

Currently, the eurozone consists of 18 European Union member states, including Estonia and Latvia, two former Soviet Baltic states that switched to the euro in 2011 and 2014 respectively. Lithuania will replace litas with euros from January 1, 2015.

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