Cyprus to get euro 'bank holiday'
Cyprus is set to enjoy a special "bank holiday" in order to facilitate its adoption of the euro, according to local media.
The Famagusta Gazette reports that on New Year's Eve, trading will cease for several hours in order to allow banks and businesses to switch to the new currency.
This should allow computer systems and other operating tools to deal with the changeover more smoothly.
Cyprus will then begin using the euro on January 1st, three and a half years after it first joined the European Union.
The island's central bank has been distributing notes and coins to banks and businesses for several weeks.
Although an information campaign has been targeted at people living in Cyprus, foreign travellers were recently advised to make sure they were also prepared for the changeover.
Travelex stated that many Britons did not know it was set to join the euro next month, which means those with leftover currency would soon have unusable tender if they did not change it before January.
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