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立陶宛維爾紐斯——如果說(shuō)還有人有充分的理由想加入歐元區(qū)，那就是在布滿積雪的立陶宛首都，裹得嚴(yán)嚴(yán)實(shí)實(shí)躲避?chē)?yán)寒的民眾。
由于盧布貶值和經(jīng)濟(jì)制裁，俄羅斯幾乎已經(jīng)無(wú)法再充當(dāng)立陶宛乳制品及其他商品的市場(chǎng)。俄羅斯最近派軍用飛機(jī)到波羅的海上空巡邏，立陶宛人認(rèn)為這是在威脅他們。盡管立陶宛的經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)仍然遠(yuǎn)高于歐元區(qū)的平均水平，但是也受到了沖擊。
立陶宛將于周四正式啟用歐元，但歐元無(wú)法解決所有問(wèn)題。但分析人士及政治領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人表示，它能促進(jìn)商貿(mào)，消除兌換貨幣的成本，有助于在西方開(kāi)拓新市場(chǎng)。
新貨幣或許還能帶來(lái)更多地緣政治的安全保障。俄羅斯總統(tǒng)弗拉基米爾·V·普京(Vladimir V. Putin)可能會(huì)更加謹(jǐn)慎，不愿惹惱這個(gè)既是歐洲聯(lián)盟(European unio)、北約(NATO)成員，又屬于歐元區(qū)的國(guó)家。
立陶宛前總統(tǒng)瓦爾達(dá)斯·阿達(dá)姆庫(kù)斯(Valdas Adamkus)表示，歐元還能使這個(gè)國(guó)家在與俄羅斯進(jìn)行商業(yè)談判時(shí)，擁有更多自由。阿達(dá)姆庫(kù)斯于2009年卸任，執(zhí)政時(shí)間接近10年。
“我們不需要再承擔(dān)使用弱勢(shì)貨幣的小國(guó)所面臨的那種壓力了，”阿達(dá)姆庫(kù)斯說(shuō)。“現(xiàn)在，我們是歐元區(qū)成員國(guó)了。”
尚不清楚這些觀點(diǎn)是否有助于在其他尚未加入歐元區(qū)的東歐國(guó)家，為歐元贏得更多支持。這些國(guó)家中包括波蘭，該國(guó)增長(zhǎng)相對(duì)較快的經(jīng)濟(jì)將會(huì)給歐元區(qū)注入急需的活力。波蘭領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人順從公眾的意見(jiàn)，并不急于簽約。目前，希臘的政治動(dòng)蕩正在擾亂金融市場(chǎng)，歐元區(qū)的聲譽(yù)可能會(huì)因此進(jìn)一步受損。
盡管在歐盟的28個(gè)成員國(guó)當(dāng)中，大多數(shù)都應(yīng)當(dāng)使用歐元，但至少在未來(lái)數(shù)年中，預(yù)計(jì)不會(huì)再有其他國(guó)家加入歐元區(qū)。
即使在立陶宛，人們對(duì)成為歐元區(qū)第19個(gè)成員國(guó)的熱情也不是很高。最近的民意調(diào)查顯示，多數(shù)人贊成使用歐元，而今年9月的民調(diào)還曾顯示，多數(shù)立陶宛人反對(duì)加入歐元區(qū)。許多立陶宛人認(rèn)為，“我們正在加入一個(gè)江河日下的組織，”英語(yǔ)新聞網(wǎng)站《立陶宛論壇》(The Lithuania Tribune)支持歐元的總編魯斯拉納斯·伊爾日克維秋斯(Ruslanas Irzikevicius)說(shuō)。“我們正在加入一個(gè)江河日下的組織，歐元區(qū)的問(wèn)題將影響到立陶宛的未來(lái)。”
調(diào)查顯示，支持使用歐元的立陶宛人認(rèn)為，這將給旅行和商貿(mào)帶來(lái)便利。（中國(guó)進(jìn)出口網(wǎng)）
VILNIUS, Lithuania — If anyone still has good reasons for joining the euro, it is the people bundled against the cold of this snow-dusted capital.
The plunge of the ruble and economic sanctions have all but destroyed Russia as a market for Lithuanian dairy products and other goods. Russia has been sending patrols of military aircraft over the Baltic Sea recently in what Lithuanians interpret as an attempt to intimidate them. Lithuanian growth, while still well above the eurozone average, has suffered.
The euro, which Lithuania will officially adopt Thursday, will not solve all those problems. But analysts and political leaders say it should grease commerce, eliminate money-changing costs and help develop new markets to the West.
The new currency may even provide an extra measure of geopolitical security. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia may be more cautious in provoking a country that is a member not only of the European unio and NATO but also the eurozone.
The euro gives the country more freedom in negotiating business with Russia, said Valdas Adamkus, who was president of Lithuania for about a decade until 2009.
“We don't have to accept the pressure of being a small country with a little currency,” Adamkus said. “Now we are members of the eurozone.”
It remains to be seen whether such arguments will help the euro win more adherents in other eastern European countries that have yet to join, like Poland, whose relatively fast-growing economy would provide some badly needed dynamism to the currency bloc. In line with public opinion, Polish leaders are in no hurry to sign up. The eurozone's prestige could suffer further now that political turmoil in Greece is unsettling financial markets.
Although most of the European unio's 28 member countries are obliged to adopt the euro, no additional countries are expected to join the currency bloc for at least several years.
Even in Lithuania, enthusiasm about becoming the 19th country in the eurozone is not overwhelming. Recent polls show a majority in favor of adopting the euro, and as recently as September, polls showed most Lithuanians were against membership. Many Lithuanians believe that “we are joining the losing club,” said Ruslanas Irzikevicius, the pro-euro editor in chief of The Lithuania Tribune, an English-language news website. “We are joining the losing club and the problems in the eurozone will affect Lithuania's prospects.”
Lithuanians who are in favor of the euro equate it with easier travel and commerce, surveys show.
