INTRODUCING THE EURO IN ESTONIA AND SLOVAKIA: DID IT AFFECT PEOPLE’S SATISFACTION?

The aim of the current study is to analyse the changes of satisfaction of people in both countries during the Euro introduction period. It will allow for a better understanding of the influence of external events on individuals. Slovakia, in January 2009, and Estonia, in January 2011, changed their national currency to the Euro. In both countries the introduction of the Euro was accompanied with positive media coverage and a general acceptance of the Euro as a tool to achieve a better living standard and greater benefits from a common European currency. Both Slovakia and Estonia carried out ESS fieldwork during the currency change period and this has allowed us to study the influence of the event on society regarding people’s satisfaction with it. We use data from the European Social Survey (ESS) for Estonia and Slovakia from the fourth and fifth rounds for analysis (ESS Round 4: European Social Survey Round 4 Data, 2008; ESS Round 5: European Social Survey Round 5 Data, 2010). The first descriptive results revealed differences between the two countries. A declining satisfaction trend prevailed in Estonia while satisfaction increased in Slovakia. A comparison of the Euro change period data with data from the same season but different years, showed that fluctuations with satisfaction cannot be attributed only to one event, and total satisfaction is possibly an outcome of many interactions, both at an individual level and in society. Therefore the continuous study of multiple effects of essential events in society on attitudes is important. Monitoring the contextual data and examining the effect of societal events helps to understand processes in society and plan for better measurement tools.