EU's Almunia and France's Jouyet warn on euro

ST. JULIAN'S, Malta (Reuters) - Following is a selection of comments from European Union policymakers attending ceremonies to mark Malta's January 1 entry to the euro zone.

SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER JANEZ JANSA

Asked if the European Central Bank was taking the right action to curb inflation, Jansa said: "For now, yes. I'm sure they're prepared too for some challenges coming in the next few months. But if you are looking for the whole year 2008, the situation is to stabilise."

EU ECONOMIC AND MONETARY AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER JOAQUIN

ALMUNIA:

ON INFLATION

"We hope that during 2008 these external shocks will diminish and that inflation will come back to normal levels. Next month we will publish our new forecasts," he told reporters.

ALMUNIA ON EURO

"As you know that we are observing always the evolution of the nominal effective exchange rate and real effective exchange rate of the euro. We are not particularly concerned with the level of the euro against one particular currency.