I-euro—Imali Entsha Yezwekazi Elidala

UNGQONGQOSHE wezezimali waseFrance owayejabulile waluma uhlamvu lwemali olusha wayesethi: “Lolu uhlamvu lwangempela, hhayi uhlamvu-mbumbulu. Luwuhlamvu lokuqala olukhiqizwe eFrance nakulo lonke elaseYurophu.” Lolu hlamvu lwaluyi-euro yokuqala ekhiqizwé esikhungweni saseFrance esingokomthetho esenza imali. KwakuwuMsombuluko ngo-May 11, 1998.

Yini i-euro? Izobathinta kanjani omama bamakhaya, izisebenzi, izivakashi namabhizinisi kulo lonke elaseYurophu? Ingabe uyothinteka umnotho wembulunga yonke? Ngaphambi kokuba ulahle ama-deutsche mark, ama-lira noma ama-franc akho, kungakuhle uthole izimpendulo zale mibuzo kuqala.

Wavela Kanjani Lo Mqondo?

Lapho iSivumelwano SaseMaastricht siguqula i-European Community siyenza i-European Union (EU), ngo-November 1, 1993, omunye wemigomo eyisisekelo kwakuwukusungula uhlobo olulodwa lwemali oluzosetshenziswa yiwo wonke amazwe angamalungu.a Kusukela esikhathini samaRoma, elaseYurophu alikaze lisebenzise imali efanayo. Kwanqunywa ukuthi igama lale mali entsha kuzothiwa i-euro. Akuwona wonke amazwe e-EU ahlanganyela kulolu bumbano lwezimali. Angu-11 kuphela amazwe e-EU kwangu-15 asesimweni sokuqala ukusebenzisa i-euro. La mazwe yi-Austria, iBelgium, iFinland, iFrance, i-Ireland, i-Italy, iJalimane, iLuxembourg, iNetherlands, iPortugal neSpain. ElaseGreece alizange lizifinyelele izindinganiso ezingokomnotho ukuze lihlanganyele. Amanye amathathu—iBrithani, iDenmark neSweden—aye akhetha ukuba angazibandakanyi okwamanje.

Ukushintshela ekusebenziseni i-euro kuzokwenziwa kancane kancane. Kusukela ngo-January 4 nonyaka, i-euro yaqala ukusetshenziswa ekuhwebelaneni namazwe omhlaba okungahileli imali ngokwayo. I-euro ewuhlweza nengamaphepha iyoqala ukukhishwa phakathi nenkathi yezinyanga eziyisithupha kusukela ngo-January 1, 2002—okuyothi ngemva kwalokho imali yamazwe ahlanganyela kulesi sivumelwano iphelelwe yisikhathi futhi mhlawumbe igcinwe eminyuziyamu nasemabhokisini ezikhumbuzo. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi i-euro iyothatha indawo yemali engamaphepha eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-12 nezinhlamvu eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-70, enengqikithi yesisindo esingamathani angu-300 000. Kuthenjwa ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amazwe e-EU asasele nawo ayoba sesimweni sokuhlanganyela kulolu bumbano lokusebenzisa imali efanayo.

Ekhuluma ngokuguqukela kuyi-euro, ungqongqoshe wezezimali wase-Austria wathi: “Sisonqenqemeni lwenkathi entsha yokuhlanganisa elaseYurophu.” Nokho, abantu baseYurophu banemibono ehlukene nge-euro, abangamaphesenti angu-47 banomuzwa wokuthi ukuba nemali efanayo kuyokwenza elaseYurophu libe namandla kwezomnotho kanti abangamaphesenti angu-40 bakholelwa ukuthi i-euro iyokwenza umnotho waseYurophu untengantenge. Abanye baye babonisa nokuthi ukusebenzisa imali efanayo kungase kubangele impi! Kukhona nabanye “Abangabazi Be-euro” abamanqikanqika, abayibonayo inzuzo yokuba nemali efanayo eYurophu kodwa abangabazayo ukuthi iyophumelela.

Abanye Bakubheka Njengesibusiso . . .

Isigungu esiphakeme se-EU, i-European Commission, samemezela: “Ngokwenza imali efanayo, elaseYurophu liyobe linika izakhamuzi zalo, izingane zalo nabantu elisebenzelana nabo . . . uphawu olungokoqobo lomgomo ofanayo eliye lawukhetha ngenkululeko: umgomo wokwakha umphakathi osekelwe ekuthuleni nasekuchumeni.”

Abasekeli be-euro babhekisela ezinzuzweni eziningi ezingase zilethwe ukuba nemali efanayo. Ukuphela kwezindleko zokushintsha imali kuyoba nethonya elikhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi isibonelo okubhekiselwa kuso esomuntu waseYurophu ovakashela njalo kuwo wonke amazwe angu-14 e-EU angaphandle kwezwe lakubo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma enama-deutsche mark ayinkulungwane eyodwa abese efika eshintsha imali yakhe ezweni ngalinye, uyogcina enama-deutsche mark angu-500 kuphela ngenxa yezindleko zokushintsha imali nje kuphela!

Ngokufanayo, izimpahla ezithunyelwayo nezithengwa kwamanye amazwe ngeke zisaba nezindleko zokushintsha imali. Futhi, imali efanayo iyoqeda izindleko ezihlukahlukene zokuntengantenga kwamandla emali. Lapho amandla emali yezwe elithile encipha, izimpahla ezivela kwamanye amazwe zimba eqolo kulelo lizwe. Ngokuvamile lokhu kubangela ukwehla kwamandla emali. Ngakho, ngokusebenzisa imali efanayo engahileli izindleko zokuhwebelana, elaseYurophu liyoheha abatshali bezimali bakwamanye amazwe.

Abasekeli be-euro babikezela nokuthi kuyokwehla amanani entengo kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Abathengi nosomabhizinisi ngokufanayo sebeyakwazi ukuqhathanisa amanani entengo kalula, futhi lapho izinhlamvu nemali engamaphepha e-euro kuqala ukusetshenziswa ngo-2002, kuyoba lula nakakhulu. Kulindeleke ukuthi uyophela umehluko wenani lentengo lomkhiqizo ofanayo emazweni ahlukahlukene aseYurophu, okuyozuzisa abathengi.

. . . Abanye Bakubheka Njengesiqalekiso

Abagxeki nabo bayaphefumula. Banomuzwa wokuthi i-euro iyolinganisela umnotho waseYurophu, iqede amandla awo okuvumelana nezimo futhi ivimbele ukukhula kwawo. Babikezela ukuthi imali efanayo iyokwandisa ukusweleka kwemisebenzi, ubuqili obukhulu ezimakethe zezimali futhi ibangele izingxabano zezombangazwe. Seziye zabonakala kakade izingxabano zezombangazwe ezinjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela ingxabano phakathi kwelaseJalimane nelaseFrance ngokuthi yiliphi kula mazwe okufanele libe yisikhungo se-European Central Bank, eyengamele i-euro. Singalindela izingxabano ezinjalo ezengeziwe njengoba izwe ngalinye eliyilungu le-EU liphishekela imigomo yalo.

Kwamanye amazwe e-EU, ukusweleka kwemisebenzi kuphakeme kakhulu. Abaningi bathi lokhu kubangelwa ukuncishiswa kwemali esetshenziswayo nokukhushulwa kwentela okubekwe njengombandela wokusebenzisa imali efanayo. Kulo lonke elaseYurophu abantu bayabhikisha ngenxa yezinkambiso zezomnotho eziqinile ezihlanganisa ukuqedwa kwezinhlelo zezenhlalakahle, zomhlala-phansi nezempilo. Izimiso zezomnotho eziqatha ngale ndlela ziyohlala isikhathi esingakanani? Ingabe amanye amazwe ayoyengeka ukuba athambise isandla lapho esesebenzisa i-euro? Ingabe inqubo enjalo yokuyekelela iyobangela umonakalo esimisweni saseYurophu sokusebenzisa imali efanayo?

Abanye baveza indlela abantu abayithanda kakhulu ngayo imali yamazwe akubo. Ukuba nemali kusho okungaphezu nje kokuba nayo. Kwabaningi imelela umlando wezwe lakubo, iwuphawu olubaluleke njengefulege. Umuntu uyiqonda kangcono imali yezwe lakubo ngoba uholelwa ngayo, abale izindleko, ahwebe ngayo futhi ayilondoloze. Ngokwesibonelo, nakuba imali yamaJalimane iyoncipha ngengxenye emabhange ngenxa yokushintshela kuyi-euro, imali yamaNtaliyane iyokwehla kakhulu ngoba ama-lira angu-2 000 ayophenduka i-euro eyodwa lapho ama-lira ephelelwa yisikhathi. Ngokokuhlola okuthile, ukuguqukela kuyi-euro kuyoba isenzakalo “esicindezelayo” kubantu abaningi baseYurophu.

Ingabe Iyowalungela Wonke Amazwe?

Ezinye izazi zezomnotho kuyi-EU nase-United States zigcizelela ukuthi nakuba abantu befuna imali eyodwa ngenxa yezizathu zezombangazwe, izimiso zomnotho zaseYurophu azinabo ubunye, abantu bagxile emazweni akubo futhi amasiko abo ahluke kakhulu. Ngakho, ngokungafani nezakhamuzi zase-United States, akulula ukuba abantu baseYurophu abalahlekelwa umsebenzi bathuthele ezindaweni ezikude beyofuna umsebenzi. Abanye ochwepheshe bakholelwa ukuthi ukungabi nabunye okunjalo kwenza amazwe asebenzisa i-euro angakwazi ukubhekana nezinkinga ukuze ahlanganyele umnotho nemali efanayo.

Abagxeki bathi ngaphansi kwesimiso semali eyodwa, ohulumeni ngabanye ngeke besaba namandla okubhekana nezinkinga ezingokomnotho. Bathi i-euro iyophuca amazwe igunya ilidlulisele kuyi-European Central Bank, eFrankfurt, eJalimane. Ngenxa yalokho, lokhu kuyocindezela ohulumeni ukuba babeke imithetho yentela nezinye izinkambiso zezomnotho ezivumelanayo kulo lonke izwekazi. Abagxeki baveza ukuthi izigungu eziphethe nesishaya-mthetho eBrussels naseStrasbourg ziyoba negunya. Ngempela, iSivumelwano SaseMaastricht sidinga ukuba kube nenhlangano yezombangazwe ekugcineni eyonakekela izinkambiso zokuhweba namazwe angaphandle nezokuvikela kanye nezingokomnotho nezingokwenhlalo. Ingabe lolu shintsho luyohamba ngokushelela ngaphandle kwezinkinga? Kuyocaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

“Ukudlala Ngomlilo”

Okwamanje, amabhange nezitolo ezinkulu sekuqalile kakade ukusebenzisa i-euro, kuvulwa ama-akhawunti e-euro futhi kubekwe amanani entengo e-euro eceleni kwamanani emali yendawo. Umgomo uwukuba ushintsho lwango-2002 luhambe ngokushelela ngangokunokwenzeka. Umagazini odumile waseFrance ususakaze imishini engaphezu kuka-200 000 umuntu angabala ngayo lapho eshintsha ama-franc aseFrance eba ama-euro.

Ingabe i-euro iyoke imelane ne-dollar lase-United States ngamandla? Abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi lapho i-euro isisebenza, mhlawumbe elase-United States ngeke lisazenzela umathanda emnothweni womhlaba. Babikezela ukuthi i-euro ne-dollar kuyoba imali enamandla embulungeni yonke. UJill Considine, we-New York Clearing House Association, uthi: “Kuyoba nokuncintisana okukhulu.”

Liyini ikusasa le-euro? Umhleli wephephandaba waseJalimane uJosef Joffe ubiza ukusebenzisa imali efanayo ngokuthi “ukudlala ngomlilo okukhulu eYurophu.” Uyanezela: “Uma ingaphumeleli, ingase yonakalise lokho elaseYurophu eliye lakufinyelela kule minyaka engu-50 edlule.” Ungqongqoshe wezezimali eFrance wananela imizwa yabantu abaningi baseYurophu lapho ethi: “Kunamathemba amahle kakhulu kanye nokwesaba okukhulu.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 14]

AMAQINISO APHATHELENE NE-EURO

• I-euro eyodwa ilidlula kancane i-dollar elilodwa lase-United States

• I-euro eyiphepha iyoba izigaba ezingu-7: ama-euro angu-5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 nangu-500

• Ohlangothini olulodwa lwe-euro eyiphepha kuyoba nebalazwe laseYurophu elinamabhuloho athile, kanti kolunye uhlangothi kuyoba nemifanekiso yamafasitela noma amasango

• Imali eyiphepha iyoba namagama amabili athi “EURO” nelithi “ΕΥΡΩ,” amelela izinhlamvu zamagama zesiRoma nesiGreki

• I-euro ewuhlweza iyoba izinhlobo ezingu-8: isenti elilodwa, amasenti amabili, amahlanu, ayishumi, angamashumi amabili nangamashumi amahlanu kanye ne-euro eyodwa namabili

• Ewuhlamvu iyoba nomfanekiso omelela lonke elaseYurophu kolunye uhlangothi kanye nomfanekiso wezwe ngalinye ngakolunye uhlangothi

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 13]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-EUROPEAN UNION

BRITAIN

DENMARK

SWEDEN

GREECE

Amazwe ayingxenye yalolu bumbano lwezezimali okwamanje

IRELAND

PORTUGAL

SPAIN

BELGIUM

FRANCE

NETHERLANDS

GERMANY

LUXEMBOURG

FINLAND

AUSTRIA

ITALY

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 12]

All currency on pages 12-14: © European Monetary Institute