EcoFin: Romania's road to the euro will not be affected by Greece's situation

Greece's situation will not affect the progression of euro-candidate countries in Eastern Europe, such as is the case of Romania, which will only have to keep their commitments in order to adopt the single European currency as scheduled, said the representatives of Finance Ministers in the European Union (EcoFin) yesterday.

"We act in compliance with the rules. All candidates to the euro zone receive equal treatment," Oli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, answered yesterday, asked if the situation in Greece would have an impact on the expansion of the euro zone.

Romania's target is to enter the euro zone in 2015, while Bulgaria and the Baltic states, whose currencies are pegged to the euro through a currency board, set out to enter the euro zone in 2012-2013.

Greece is under scrutiny by the financial markets after the new government in Athens announced a higher budget deficit that the one forecast, with fears emerging that the Greek government will not be able to repay around 25 billion euros in debts that mature this spring.