Prime Minister Butkevičius has handed over to the Money Museum of the Bank of Lithuania the first euro note

On Friday, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius has attended a sitting of the Commission for Coordination of the Euro Adoption in Lithuania, which has discussed the process of the euro adoption in the country. Following the sitting, the Head of Government has visited the Money Museum of the Bank of Lithuania and has handed it over to keep and display the first ten euro note that he had withdrawn from the cash machine on the New Year’s night.

The Prime Minister said that 1.3 billion litas in cash had been changed into euros during the first 7 days of January. Almost 100 tons of coins have already been received; yet it is estimated that approximately 30 per cent of coins in circulation might not return to the Bank of Lithuania, as people might retain them for memory or simply forget that they had them. The meeting welcomed the smooth functioning of the banking system, as well as the employees who contributed to the successful changeover.

“I am pleased with our country’s successful transition to the single European Union currency, the euro. I had the responsibility of initiating the process of the euro introduction, and the honour of withdrawing the first euro banknote on the New Year’s night. I have handed over the first ten euro note to the Money Museum to keep it as a symbol for reminding the future generations of this important moment in the history of our nation”, said Prime Minister Butkevičius.