爱沙尼亚加入欧元区引争议英语作文

Public Opinion Split as Estonia Prepares to Join Eurozone

Despite concerns in Estonia about the future of Europe's common currency, banks in the capital city Tallinn are having trouble keeping up with demand for euro coin start-up sets.

But there is a growing public debate as Estonians prepare to join the eurozone. One pensioner calls it pointless.

"We don't need it," he said. "The size of notes is different and I don't have a suitable wallet for euros. What's the point of the euro? We're spending millions to bring it in while children in our schools don't have free lunches."

A new survey in Estonia shows public opinion evenly split, with some welcoming the currency conversion, while others say it will hurt Estonian pocketbooks.

"Of course prices will rise," said one man. "Comparing salaries here and in other countries, the difference will hurt."

"It's very good, especially for younger people when they travel," a woman said. "They will not need to exchange money into euros any more."

The reluctance of many of Estonia's 1.3 million citizens to embrace the new currency is a worry for the Estonian government, which also is trying to explain a five percent rise in food prices. But economist Hardo Pajula says the higher prices have little to do with the euro.

"The increase in food prices has been more due to the exceptionally hot summer in Russia, among other things, and in other parts of the world. But, of course, it gets attributed to the euro," said Pajula.

Economists say the most vulnerable period will be the first two weeks of the new year, when the Estonian economy transitions from the familiar kroon to a currency - many here still don't trust.

尽管爱沙尼亚担忧欧洲统一货币的未来，不过首都塔林的银行也已经很难满足欧元货币启动的要求。

但是随着爱沙尼亚准备加入欧元区，公众之间的争议也逐渐增长。一名养老金领取者称这是没有意义的。

“我们不需要。我们的货币的币值是不同的。我没有适合装欧元的钱包。欧元有什么意义呢？我们必须花费数百万来得到欧元，而我们学校的孩子却没有免费午餐。”

爱沙尼亚一份新的调查显示民意非常不同，一些人对货币转换非常欢迎，而另外一些人则认为这会对爱沙尼亚的经济造成损害。

“价格当然会上升。我们的收入水平与其他国家有所不同，这会对我们造成伤害。”

“转换货币非常好，尤其对于要旅行的'年轻人来说，这样他们就不要要再将自己的货币兑换成欧元。”一名女子说。

爱沙尼亚130万公民不欢迎新的货币使政府非常担心。爱沙尼亚政府正在准备解释将食品价格提高5%。但是经济学家Hardo Pajula表示，提高价格与欧元关系不大。

“食品价格的上升是由于俄罗斯和世界其他地区夏季气温过高。但是，当然，也与欧元有一定的关系。”

经济虚假表示，最易受伤害的时期是新年的前两个星期，届时爱沙尼亚经济将从大家所熟悉的克朗转为大家还不怎么信任的欧元。