On January 1st Slovakia became the 16th member of the eurozone - the second former communist country to join the grouping after Slovenia in 2007.
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Up to 100,000 people gathered in the capital Bratislava's main square for a midnight ceremony with fireworks and a recent poll in Slovakia's Hospodarske Noviny daily showed 58% of respondents in favour of the euro, compared with 43% positive a year ago. Euro "starter packs" have already been distributed in Slovakia and a big campaign has been under way to familiarise the nation of 5.4 million people with the new currency.