With Sweden set to assume the presidency of the European Union (EU) Monday, January 1, opposition to the single European currency remains strong with half of Swedes against the idea, according to a fresh poll.
A Sifo institute survey, conducted December 14-20 and published in the daily Svenska Dagbladet on Saturday, showed that 50 percent of 1,000 Swedes questioned were against adopting the euro, 33 percent were in favor and 17 percent were undecided.
Sifo said the results were unchanged from its previous poll, conducted in October shortly after neighbouring Denmark voted against adopting the euro.
Sweden, along with Denmark and Britain, has chosen to stay outside the euro zone due to a lack of public support.
Finance Minister Bosse Ringholm has said there would be no Swedish referendum on the euro before 2002, pending a report by a government-appointed commission on how membership would affect the country's economy.— (AFP)
© Agence France Presse 2000
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
