Eurozone brings Lithuania investment, stability: Tusk

European Council President Donald Tusk said here on Wednesday that joining the eurozone brings Lithuania investment, growth and stability.

"This is a historic moment for your country and this moment is important for the eurozone. This demonstrates once again the credibility and attractiveness of the eurozone. Joining will bring investment, growth, security and stability," said Tusk in a press conference.

Lithuania's membership in the single currency bloc will attract new investments and help companies grow, according to him.

The newly elected president of the European Council believed the eurozone is stronger and more stable than several years ago. Yet it needs more efforts to make it even stronger.

"The next step is improving coordination of the euro countries' economic policies to truly put the financial crisis behind us. We need more investment, structural reforms and sound public finances," he added.

The visiting vice president of European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, stressed that Lithuania's joining the eurozone is important for the Baltic country, and also for the whole euro area.

"It demonstrates that the euro area is stable, strong, open and attractive for new members," he said during the joint press conference.

Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius expressed his gratification on Lithuania's successful application to join the eurozone this time, despite the country was refused to join the bloc in 2007.

"There are still new challenges and important work ahead of us. I am convinced that the euro will create opportunities for Lithuania to grow and become a modern European state," Butkevicius was quoted by BNS news agency.

Lithuania joined the eurozone on Jan. 1, 2015, as its 19th member. Its Baltic neighbors Estonia and Latvia became euro members in 2011 and 2014 respectively. Endit