Riga - The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are among those that could experience an Iceland-style economic crisis according to two new reports.
"The markets are asking the question 'Which country will be the next to fall?' The markets seem to have decided that Hungary will be the next Iceland. However, there are other countries that share some unpleasant similarities with Iceland," said a Danske Bank report.
Riga- A soldier belonging to the Latvian parliamentary and presidential security service was found dead in the national parliament overnight, according to a statement released by the National Armed Forces (NAF).
The man's body was found on Thursday morning in one of the premises guarded by the security service located in the parliament building.
Riga- The economic outlook is grim for central and eastern Europe (CEE) in general and the Baltic states in particular, according to a report released Wednesday by Scandinavian bank SEB.
Riga - The government of Latvia spent more than 2,000 euros on improving the table manners and dance skills of President Valdis Zatlers and his staff, a report said Wednesday.
Zatlers, who was plucked from obscurity as a doctor to unexpectedly become president in July 2007, was taught to dance the polonaise by instructor Valdis Skutans at a cost of 280 euros (about
380 dollars), the Neatkariga Rita Avize (NRA) newspaper reported.
Riga - The Governor of the Bank of Latvia, Ilmars Rimsevics, called on the Latvian government to be "strategic and resolute" Tuesday, in order to speed the country's aim of adopting the euro as its currency.
Speaking to an audience of bankers and businessmen in the Latvian capital, Riga, Rimsevics bemoaned the fact that rapid economic growth in recent years had created a situation in which "many seemed to succumb to the euphoria of the moment, forgetting our long term commitments and strategic goals."
Latvia originally intended to replace its lats with the euro in 2008 but narrowly failed to meet the necessary Maastricht convergence criteria on inflation, which subsequently soared.
Riga - Latvian police officers demonstrated against low pay and poor working conditions in the capital Riga on Saturday, staging a picket in front of government offices.
The demonstration occurred one day after Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis announced a year-long pay freeze for public sector employees as part of an austerity package designed to cut government spending.
A week ago, health workers staged a similar protest amid rising dissatisfaction with wages that are failing to keep pace with inflation, against the background of a general economic downturn in Latvia.
Riga- A soldier belonging to the Latvian parliamentary and presidential security service was found dead in the national parliament overnight, according to a statement released by the National Armed Forces (NAF).
Riga - The government of Latvia spent more than 2,000 euros on improving the table manners and dance skills of President Valdis Zatlers and his staff, a report said Wednesday.
