The EU commissioner has told the papers that he is, and has always been, a supporter of Lithuania's eurozone membership.
"I don't see any reasons for us not being there. The litas has been pegged to the euro at a fixed rate, but we can't exercise the rights of a eurozone member," he said.
Šemeta also said that Lithuania must become a member of the eurozone banking union.
"The banking union should help stabilize the eurozone-wide financial sector. That would help make a big step forward in controlling the effects of the crisis in the eurozone," he said.
The EU commissioner notes that Estonia will automatically become a member of the banking union because it has adopted the euro and that Latvia is taking active efforts to join the eurozone on 1 January 2014.
Lithuania is one of the countries that are seen in the EU as an example of how to solve economic crisis-related problems, but it is too early to loosen the reins, he said.
