Germany's debate over the rights and wrongs of delaying the start of a European common currency continued yesterday as Euro-sceptics pressed for more discussions on postponement.
The state of Saxony's premier, Mr Kurt Biedenkopf, renewed his call for a five-year delay of the euro project.
At the same time, the Bavarian premier, Mr Edmund Stoiber, stuck to his assertion that the euro launch would have to be postponed if countries overshot the tough fiscal goals required for participation. The comments followed a week which saw the fiercest debate to date in Germany over a possible postponement of European economic and monetary union (EMU), now scheduled to start in January 1999.
In an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, Mr Biedenkopf, a member of the Chancellor, Dr Helmut Kohl's Christian Democrats (CDU), repeated earlier calls for EU currencies to be coupled together through fixed exchange rates for a five-year test phase, rather than moving to full currency union.
However, the CDU's general secretary, Mr Peter Hintze, dismissed Mr Biedenkopf's idea, saying he opposed any delay of EMU, and there was no reasonable argument for postponement.
A timely euro start was the best way to ensure Germany kept in step with global competitors, Mr Hintze argued.
However, Mr Stoiber, a member of the Finance Minister Mr Theo Waigel's Christian Social Union (CSU) party, said it was important to consider delaying monetary union in case countries failed to qualify for the project.
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