- Title: SWEDEN: SWEDES VOTE "NO" TO ACCEPTING THE EURO CURRENCY
- Date: 14th September 2003
- Summary: (W8) STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (SEPTEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS COUNTING VOTES (6 SHOTS) 0.33 (W7) STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (SEPTEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 2. GRAPHIC: BEGINNING OF SVT TELEVISION BROADCAST AFTER THE POLLING STATIONS HAVE CLOSED 0.43 3. PRESENTER SAYING (Swedish) "POLLING STATIONS have closed. Swedish people have made their choice." 0.52 4. MV/SV: 'NO' SUPPORTERS LISTENING TO TV BROADCAST, CHEERING AFTER THEY HEAR THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS (2 SHOTS) 1.10 5. VARIOUS OF 'NO' SUPPORTERS CELEBRATING (3 SHOTS) 1.24 (W8) STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (SEPTEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 6. WIDE SHOT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE 1.29 7. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDEN'S PRIME MINISTER GORAN PERSSON SAYING: "We could have gotten to the referendum in more positive environment. But remember one thing. Sweden is performing better than the rest of Europe. Of course to convince people in that situation to change your currency, say farewell to your own currency and go for the project, when you see that you are performing better, that is not easy. But my opinion is that in a couple of years, perhaps tomorrow, I do not know, we will have new circumstances that will show that new circumstances that will show that the membership in the monetary union have been beneficial for Sweden." 2.17 8. SCU: CAMERAWOMAN RECORDING PERSSON'S CONFERENCE 2.22 9. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDEN'S PRIME MINISTER GORAN PERSSON SAYING: "We have to start tomorrow. With that terrible deed last week. We still have to live with that and at the same time respect the referendum. It is not an easy task, of course not. But it is a task that has to be carried out. And I will still be prime minister tomorrow." 2.48 10. MV: MEDIA AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.53 11. SV: MIKHAEL TRESCHOW, CHAIRMAN OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST MOBILE PHONES NETWORK MAKER ERICSSON IN TV4 STUDIO 2.58 12. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKHAEL TRESCHOW, CHAIRMAN OF ERICSSON SAYING: "If it would be a 'No' the loser will be Swedish entrepreneurs and Swedish business people because the big majority of them said that they believe that Euro is good for their business. Then we have to figure out together with the government what should we do in order to take care of them to make sure that they do not loose their motivation in developing their business and making investments. I think it will have to be a new agenda with the government and with the leadership to figure out what sort of other competitive advantages we can offer them." 3.53 13. SV: TRESCHOW TALKING TO REPORTER 3.58 14. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKHAEL TRESCHOW ANSWERING QUESTION ON WHAT A "NO" VOTE WOULD MEAN FOR ERICSSON: "Well, it is the same as for other companies. Nothing day one, but long term, when we are going to evaluate where we are going to make investments, of course, we are going to look at different options. If we lose this competitive edge, we will need some other competitive edge to secure our Swedish-based operations. Q: Did it come as a surprise to you? A: Not as a surprise per say but as a disappointment." 4.35 15. SV: TRESCHOW LEAVING TV4 STUDIO 4.40 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th September 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
- Country: Sweden
- Reuters ID: LVAFCPJCCXBWP38XMCQ4FSPYXS2
- Story Text: Swedes have voted "no" to accepting the euro
currency.
Swedish voters delivered a decisive "No" to the EU's
single currency on Sunday (September 14), defying
expectations of a late surge of sympathy votes for the
pro-euro government after the murder of Foreign Minister
Anna Lindh.
The "No" side won 56 percent of votes and the "Yes"
side 42 percent -- a stinging defeat for Prime Minister
Goran Persson and euro backers in the main political
parties and big business.
It attracted a high turnout of 81 percent.
Social Democrat leader Persson said Sweden would lose
opportunities it might otherwise have had as a result of
the vote.
Ericsson chairman Mikhael Treschow said the mobile
telecommunications company might change its operations in
the long term as a result of the referendum.
"When we are going to evaluate where we are going to
make investments, of course, we are going to look at
different options. If we lose this competitive edge, we
will need some other competitive edge to secure our
Swedish-based operations", said Treschow.
Echoing Persson's warnings Sweden would lose influence
in the European Union by rejecting the world's second
most-traded currency, European Commission chief Romano
Prodi told Swedish television the country would "certainly"
lose some clout.
Finland said Sweden's "No" was a warning to the 12
nations belonging to the euro to get their house in order,
especially those with big budget deficits, like France and
Germany.
Ahead in polls since April, the "No" side warned the
euro would raise prices and cut funds for the cradle-to-grave
welfare system -- a big issue in remote areas and for women
voters.
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