Lithuania given support in euro drive

  • 2013-07-18
  • From wire reports

VILNIUS - The International Monetary Fund expressed support for Lithuania’s decision to join the euro area, said Christine Lagarde, managing director at the IMF, at a meeting with Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius, reports ELTA. During the meeting, the head of government and the managing director of the IMF discussed cooperation between the Fund and Lithuania, Lithuania’s aspiration to adopt the euro and the current situation in the euro area. Butkevicius also presented Lithuania’s priorities during the Presidency of the EU Council.

Presenting the priorities in the field of finance, the prime minister noted that it was necessary to continue to strengthen Europe’s financial stability and competitiveness.

Meanwhile, Lagarde was interested in Lithuania’s aspiration to adopt the euro. She said that, irrespective of the temporary difficulties in the euro area, the IMF supported the decision made by Lithuania on joining the euro area. According to the prime minister, the euro countries proved that it was possible to introduce reforms and cope with difficulties.