VIENNA, June 20 (Hina) - Discussions on the expansion of the European Union to the east have not significantly jeopardised the positive expectations of countries of Central and Eastern Europe towards effects of the expansion, but it
seems that the expectations have become more realistic, shows research done by Bank Austria Creditanstalt, dubbed "Barometer Europa".
VIENNA, June 20 (Hina) - Discussions on the expansion of the
European Union to the east have not significantly jeopardised the
positive expectations of countries of Central and Eastern Europe
towards effects of the expansion, but it seems that the
expectations have become more realistic, shows research done by
Bank Austria Creditanstalt, dubbed "Barometer Europa". #L#
The research, conducted for the third consecutive year, was done
this spring among 720 leading businessmen and 9,000 citizens of
nine countries of the region -- Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia. The
results were presented in Vienna on Wednesday night, ahead of the
third "Europa Forum" organised by the bank.
The barometer indicates that the biggest pessimists are
Bulgarians, Slovenes and Croatians. A significant number of people
questioned in Croatia expect very negative consequences of EU's
expansion to Croatian economy, although, in contrast, a large
number of Croatian managers are very optimistic. As many as 74
percent of them believes that the domestic currency, the kuna,
should be exchanged for the euro as soon as Croatia becomes member
of the European Union.
People questioned also showed a positive attitude towards the date
of Croatia's entry into the EU, so most citizens and managers
believe that this would certainly occur by the year 2010.
(hina) lml