10 Euro (Božena Slančíková Timrava) – Slovakia

In 2017, Slovakia was a well-established member of the Eurozone, having adopted the euro as its official currency on January 1, 2009. This meant the country had fully replaced its previous currency, the Slovak koruna, and its monetary policy was set by the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt. The year was characterized by Slovakia operating within a stable single-currency framework, which facilitated trade and investment within the euro area and eliminated exchange rate risk with its key European partners. The primary domestic discussions around currency were not about its existence, but rather about its management at the Eurozone level, particularly regarding ECB policies on interest rates and quantitative easing.

The economic context of 2017 was one of robust growth, with Slovakia's GDP expanding by over 3%, significantly outpacing the Eurozone average. This strong performance was driven largely by a surge in exports, particularly from the automotive sector, which benefited from the euro's stability and seamless access to the single market. However, the shared currency also meant Slovakia had no independent monetary tools to address specific national inflationary pressures or to competitively devalue its currency, a trade-off accepted for deeper European integration.

Public sentiment towards the euro in Slovakia during this period remained broadly positive, with polls consistently showing strong majority support. The perceived benefits of price transparency, easier travel, and economic stability outweighed concerns for most citizens and businesses. The main financial debates in the country in 2017 were thus focused on national fiscal policy, banking sector stability, and harnessing the economic upswing to address regional disparities and public investment, all within the fixed framework of the European single currency.