On the first of January, Slovakia will start using the Euro. Slovakia has worked hard to fulfil the conditions laid down in the Maastricht Treaty, so that it can enter into the single European currency. In the capital Bratislava, the signs that Slovakia is about to join the Euro are everywhere. A massive Euro poster covers part of the central bank building. Every shop shows its prices in Euros as well as Korunas. The business world is positive about the change- exports inside the European Union won’t carry the costs of currency exchange anymore, and book-keeping should get a lot easier. Report by Karl Harenbrock