Support for Euro changeover reaches 58%

James Debono

Support for Euro adoption has grown by 23% since November 2005 when support for adopting the new currency in 2008 amounted to just 35%.
This was revealed by a survey conducted by sister paper MaltaToday.
A year ago support for the Euro adoption in 2008 was set at 47% in a similar survey.
Support for the Euro change-over in 2008 has grown significantly after the MLP dropped its initial reservations on the timing of Euro adoption. The MLP was never against the adoption of the euro but had expressed doubts on the timing set by the Nationalist government.
Only a year ago MLP leader Alfred Sant declared that January 1, 2008 is not the right time for the adoption of the Euro. Alfred Sant said that the Euro should be introduced when the country’s economy registers an increase of at least 4 per cent every year.
But in his budget speech in October opposition leader Alfred Sant committed himself to abide to the timetable set by the present government to adopt the Euro in 2008.
Labour voters are still sceptical on Euro adoption, but a significant 45% support the adoption of the euro in 2008.
On the other hand one in every five Nationalist voters are against the adoption of the Euro in 2008.
Asked to state their concerns on euro adoption, a fifth claimed that they had no worries on euro adoption. Only a fifth are concerned that the euro will result in inflation while 16% are worried that retailers will mark up their prices.