"The main reason for the launch of the new twenty-euro banknote is better security elements, which makes it safer for use and even more resistant to counterfeiting," according to Gregor Miklavčič of central bank Banka Slovenije.

The main feature of the new banknote is the portrait watermark which can be seen when the banknote if put against the light. A faint image becomes visible and shows a portrait of the Greek mythical figure Europa, the value of the banknote and the main image.

Old 20-euro banknotes will remain in circulation after today's launch of the new banknote. Miklavčič could not tell how long it will take for the new banknotes to fully replace the old ones.

On the first day, a total of EUR 10 million in new 20-euro banknotes will be put in circulation in Slovenia. The total number of printed new banknotes in the eurozone stands at 4.3 billion.