UPDATE 1-Slovak c.bank chief says inflation will stay low

                                
 (Adds quote, detials, background)
                                
 PRAGUE, April 22 (Reuters) - Slovak inflation will stay
below the threshold for euro adoption both this year and in 2009
as the same factors are driving prices up across the European
Union, central bank Governor Ivan Sramko said on Tuesday.
                                
 "Inflation is growing in other EU countries. We expect that
both in 2008 and 2009 inflation will remain under the reference
value," Sramko told an economic conference.
                                
 Slovakia hopes to adopt the euro next year.
                                
 It has met all the nominal criteria, including one setting a
cap on inflation, but EU officials have voiced concern that 
inflation would accelerate once Slovakia fixes its crown
irrevocably to the euro, removing the contribution of currency
firming to price stability.
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) will present a quarterly
update to its economic forecasts on April 29, a day after the
European Commission is due to publish its own predictions.
                                
 The EU forecasts will be an important signal for the EU's
decision due on May 7 on Slovakia's readiness to join the euro
zone.
                                
 Sramko said the impact of crown firming on inflation
appeared to be the key issue for assessing whether price growth
was sustainable.
                                
 Slovak officials have repeatedly said their calculations
showed a less significant pass-through effect from the exchange
rate on inflation than that estimated by the EU authorities.
                                
 "So far, we have not seen a strong enough argument that the
pass-through effect is stronger," Sramko said.
                                
 Reuters polls of analysts showed on Tuesday that Slovakia
was expected to join the single currency next year and that it
would convert the crown at a rate of 32.50 to the euro
<EURSKK=>, below Tuesday's level of 32.345.
                                
 
(For poll on EMU enlargement, click on              [nL22847943]
 For poll on Slovak revaluation, click on           [nL22645164]
 For Factbox on Slovakia's criteria, click on       [nL22244305]
 For an analysis on Slovak euro entry, click on     [nL22285348]
                                
 
 (Reporting by Peter Laca, writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by
Gerrard Raven)