Their approval at an EU summit in Brussels paves the way for the tiny former Yugoslav republic to become the first to adopt the euro from among the 10 mostly ex-communist countries that joined the European Union in May 2004.

EU finance ministers, who have also already given their backing, will have to formally rubber-stamp the decision at a July 11 meeting, when they are to set the definitive exchange rate between the Slovenian tolar and the euro.

Slovenia now has fewer than six months to prepare for euro cash and coins to be introduced on January 1, 2007 in a "big bang" changeover to the single European currency.

Tolars and euros will circulate simultaneously for only two weeks although prices are to be displayed in both currencies for six months.

The European Commission recommended last month that Slovenia join the eurozone because it had met the Maastricht treaty's tough criteria on public finances, inflation, interest and exchange rates to join the bloc.