Language and the euro it is actually written on the euro notes in Greek as . Also, the spelling (resulting in a plural ) on the notes could have confused other Europeans, who might read it as a string of Latin letters: "eypo". A plural form "evra", as if from a regular declinable neuter noun in "-o", is sometimes used in a jocular way. For the cent, the terms used in Greece are , plural ("leptó", plural "leptá"), a name used for small denominations of various ancient and modern Greek currencies, including the drachma (which the euro replaced). The word means 'minute' (literally "thin"),
History of the euro official currency. The euro is only used in the government-controlled areas of the Republic, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (under UK jurisdiction, outside the EU) and in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus. The de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continues to use the new Turkish lira as its primary currency and the euro as its secondary currency. Malta replaced the Maltese lira with the euro on 1 January 2008. The aims were officially confirmed on 26 February 2007. On 16 May 2007, the Commissioner for Economic & Financial Affairs of the EU, Joaquín Almunia,