#CROATIA: Parliament Approves Euro As Legal Tender

[world politics news]

The Croatian parliament has passed a law on the adoption of the Euro as legal tender, with 117 MPs voting in favor, 13 against and one abstaining.

MPs rejected amendments by the Bridge Party and the Green-Left Bloc. The euro is expected to be introduced on 1 January 2023.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#BULGARIA: Nation Is Close To Joining The Euro Common Currency

[world politics news]

Bulgaria, the European Union’s poorest country, has moved closer to adopting the European common currency, the Euro, after a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels. The European Commission and the European Central Bank said an evaluation could be completed in “around a year." "The European Commission welcomes Bulgaria’s efforts to join the eurozone," Latvian Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice President of the European Commission told a news conference.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#FRANCE: National Front's Marine LePen Now Says She'd Keep The Euro Alongside Franc

[world politics news]

Presidential candidate Marine LePen has adopted a "nuanced" position on leaving the Euro, at a time when polling shows that a full withdrawal is unpopular with voters. She now says her government would keep the Euro - the common European currency - as part of a "basket" of currencies, along with a revived French Franc. Older citizens worry that a sharp withdrawal from the Euro could cause currency fluctuations that would degrade their savings. She is, however, sticking by her call for a referendum on leaving  the European Union as a political institution.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#UK: EU Critics Claims EU Could Force UK To Adopt The Euro After Election

[world politics news]

Brexit-supporting business leaders have issued a stunning riposte to David Cameron's claims that being part of the EU is good for our economy after a senior bank boss separately warned that Brussels may be plotting to force Britain to join the Euro if the "Remain" forces win on June 23.

#AUSTRIA: Lawmakers Battle Move To Eliminate Paper Currency; Vow To Protect It In Constitution

[world politics news]

In a measure to protect against crime, some in Europe are suggesting a phase-out of paper money, There has been recent debate about ending the €500 note and the use of one and two cent coins, as well as limits on cash withdrawal. Some in EU member nation Austria are reacting by vowing to protect currency's existence in its national constitution.

#UK: PM Cameron Strikes Deal To Keep UK In The EU

[world politics news]

There is unanimous support for a deal between the UK and the EU, European Council president Donald Tusk has said. UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recommend the deal, which he said gives the UK "special status" in the EU, to his cabinet on Saturday. The agreement reached following drawn-out negotiations in Brussels paves the way for the UK's EU referendum.

#FRANCE: National Front Faces Internal Divisions Over Euro Currency Exit

[world politics news]

Frances's National Front says that if elected they wouldn't immediately exit the euro, but the matter would be submitted to a referendum. The party's Secretary General Nicolas Bay said to media over the weekend that the Euro system is "not viable" and "against our interests."

#GREECE: PM #Tsipras Rallies His Reluctant Party Ahead Of #EU Vote On #Bailout Deal

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Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is trying to rally his Syriza Party late Tuesday before a Wednesday vote in parliament on the second package of measures demanded by international creditors to open talks on a new bailout deal.

#GREECE: Tough Deal For #EU Bailout Could Cause Tsipras' Party To Rebel, Force New Elections

[world politics news]

Just a week after a nationwide vote to reject more austerity and reforms in exchange for more bailout money from the EU, a deal struck Sunday to give Greece billions more Euros demands exactly what voters rejected. The PM's  Syriza Party may put up resistance and fracture, forcing new elections.

#GREECE: Finance Min. Varoufakis Ousted After Winning "No" Vote; Pressure From Eurozone Ministers

[world politics news]

Greece's Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has quit, citing pressure on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras from Eurozone political leaders and banking interests. Varoufakis infuriated Eurozone leaders recently by comparing Greece’s creditors to terrorists. He wrote on his blog:  "I shall wear the creditors’ loathing with pride."

#BREAKING: Greek PM Tsipras Calls July 5 Referendum On Bailout Deal

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Late today, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced a July 5 referendum on whether to accept an accord with its creditors. Tsipras said Greece’s creditors gave its government an ultimatum, and that the creditors’ proposals were designed to "humiliate the Greek people."

#GREECE: Exit From Euro "Inevitable" Without Debt Deal; Greek Pols Resigned To Leaving

[world politics news]

More and more Greek politicians are resigned to a painful and difficult exit of the country from the European common currency if a deal isn't reached. Labor Minister Panos Skourletis says a deal for a new credit arrangement looks slim. Germany's EU Commissioner Guenther Oettinger says a "Grexit" is "unavoidable" without a deal by Tuesday.

#EU: First Day Of Emergency EU Summit Ends Without Greek Deal; More Talks Planned

[world politics news]

The first day of an emergecy EU summit on the Greek financial crisis ended Monday without a deal, but EU officials optimistically predicted a deal could be reached within a week. Greece risks defaulting on its debt June 30, when it faces a bailout repayment it will not be able to make without more emergency funds.

Pictured: Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (left) with EU President Jean-Claude Juncker.

#EU: Emergency Summit Of EU Foreign Mins. Called As Greek Economic Crisis Threatens EU's Future

[world politics news]

European Council Pres. Donald Tusk has called an emergency summit of nations in the Eurozone next week after Greek debt talks ended Thursday without a deal, sparking warnings of an "accident" that could push Athens out of the nations using the Euro currency if there is no breakthrough by June 30.

Pictured: European Council President Donald Tusk.

#CROATIA: Pres. Grabar-Kitarovic Urges Adoption Of Euro Currency By 2020; PM, Cabinet Disagree

[world politics news]

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said she sees her country adopting the euro by 2020 after emerging from a six-year recession, even as the government refuses to set a date.

#UK: Greek Financial Crisis "Greatest Threat" To World Economy, Says UK Chancellor; Stocks Plunge

[world politics news]

The ongoing Greek fiscal crisis caused stocks in Europe and the USA to plunge over 1%, as the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne warned the deadlock over Greece’s bailout program could trigger a repeat of the 2011/2012 fiscal crisis in the EU, causing a potential "calamity."

#GREECE: German Finance Min. Says "No Chance" Of Reaching Deal With Greece To Avoid Default

[world politics news]

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble says he believes there was no prospect of the Eurozone reaching a deal with Athens next week on economic reforms that would unlock bailout funds, potentially leaving Greece perilously short of money.

#GREECE: Anti-Austerity Pty Nears Victory, #Merkel Tells Greece: Stay In Eurozone

[world politics news]

Days before Greece's Jan. 25th snap election German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she wants Greece to stay in the Eurozone. Likely to win is anti-austerity, Syriza Party, which wants to abandon the austerity policy imposed by the EU and International Monetary Fund as part of Greece's €240 billion bailout.

#ITALY: #EU Comm. Pres. #Juncker Responds to Italian PM #Renzi's Attack: "Not the Leader of a Gang of Bureaucrats"

[world politics news]

In the latest in an ongoing war of words between Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the European Union, European Commission Pres. Jean-Claude Juncker hit back at Renzi's recent remarks about him and the EU, saying he is “not the leader of a gang of bureaucrat.".

#SPAIN: Catalonia Vows to Go Forward With Independence Vote, Despite Spanish Court Ban

[world politics news]

The leader of Catalonia, Artur Mas, said he and representatives of the four parliamentary groups that support self-determination reiterated their intention to press ahead with a Nov. 9 referrendum on the region's independence from Spain, despite a Spanish court ruling that suspended the vote last week.