DISINFO: Southern European countries were afflicted by adopting the Euro
SUMMARY
When Southern European countries adopted the Euro as unified currency instead of their own currency, they lost the most important banking tool that could help them achieve constant economic growth and help overcome economic crises they might face.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that seeks to discredit the EU, claiming that Euro is responsible for the economic downfall of "Southern" European countries.
The Eurozone shows a GDP growth of 2.4% as of 2017 according to the World Bank and real GDP growth of 1.3% in accordance with IMF data. In April 2019, the International Monetary Fund indicates the real GDP growth of the countries who have recently adopted the Euro the following way: 3.2 % for Estonia, 3.3% for Latvia, 2.9% for Lithuania and 4.1% for Slovakia. Eurostat data also reveals predominately stable GDP growth in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia since the last global crisis of 2008.
The reasons for the economic problems listed by the IMF in their recent report show no connection to the euro adoption in "Southern" countries such as Italy.