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EU says euro changeover reaching final stage in Lithuania

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Commission here on Thursday said that the euro changeover in Lithuania was reaching its final stage.

"Once the dual circulation period will come to an end on Jan. 15, cash payments may no longer be made in Lithuanian litas," said the Commission in a fact sheet released on Thursday.

Pursuant to a Commission survey, most cash payments in shops were made entirely in euro and all customers received their change in the new currency on Wednesday.

Banks, post offices and retailers are reported to cope well with the changeover process and the parallel handling of two currencies. Euro cash is gradually becoming predominant in Lithuanians' pockets. On Wednesday, about every second person polled confirmed to have mostly or only euro cash in the wallet, said the fact sheet.

The euro has become a legal tender in Lithuania with the country becoming the 19th member of the eurozone on Jan. 1.

Lithuania was the last in the Baltic countries to adopt the common currency. Estonia and Latvia joined the club in 2011 and 2014 respectively. One euro equals to 3.4528 litas. Endit