By EMESE BARTHA
FRANKFURT—German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday stressed the importance of the euro to Germany despite recent problems, calling the common currency the basis of European prosperity.
"Europe stands in these months in the middle of a great test," Mrs. Merkel said, according to an advance copy of her New Year's Eve speech to be delivered later in the day.
"We have to strengthen the euro," she said. "Germany needs Europe and our common currency."
Mrs. Merkel said the euro is much more than a currency. "The euro is the basis of our prosperity," she said.
Despite all the problems, however, the year 2010 has been a good one for Germany, said the chancellor.
"Germany has coped with the crisis like hardly any other country," she said, referring to the sovereign debt crisis that began in Greece this spring but has since spread to other highly indebted countries in the eurozone. Germany has emerged from the crisis strengthened, she added.
Germany's economy has been robust this year, with growth of around 3.5%-3.7% and unemployment reaching the lowest level in almost 20 years.
The German government will continue to work toward achieving important targets next year, and the most important is that even more people work, said Mrs. Merkel.
"We will also further improve our finances and simplify the taxes," she said.
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