Latvia

Latvia's controversial Waffen-SS commemoration passes peacefully

LatviaRiga - The new Latvian government of Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis successfully negotiated its first serious test Monday when a controversial event to commemorate Latvians who served in the Nazi German Waffen-SS during World War II passed without major incident.

Interior Minister Linda Murniece, in place only since the government took office on March 12, praised police efforts to prevent the outbreaks of violence which have marred previous years' events and which rocked the Latvian capital, Riga, in January.

ROUNDUP: Latvia's government-to-be agrees budget cuts

 Latvia's government-to-be agrees budget cutsRiga  - Latvia's prime minister-designate Valdis Dombrovskis announced on Wednesday that his centre-right coalition had agreed on its legislative programme, including big spending cuts.

Riga's government collapsed last month under the pressure of the economic meltdown.

The new government's priorities will include the promotion of entrepreneurship, a reduction in bureaucracy and the efficient use of EU funds - but also controversial cutbacks in public service salaries.

Latvia edges towards launch of new centre-right government

Valdis DombrovskisRiga - Latvia moved closer to getting a new government Wednesday when prime minister-designate Valdis Dombrovskis announced that his centre-right coalition had agreed on its legislative programme.

Priorities will include the promotion of entrepreneurship, a reduction in bureaucracy and the efficient use of EU funds, Dombrovskis said, ahead of the release of the full text of his government declaration.

"This is the solution we have reached," said Dombrovskis, who last month was called back to Latvia from his work as a member of the European Parliament in order to head a new government.

Latvia and Lithuania top EU inflation figures

Latvia and Lithuania top EU inflation figures Riga/Vilnius - Struggling Baltic economies Latvia and Lithuania retained the highest inflation levels in the European Union, according to official figures released Monday.

In Latvia, whose government collapsed last month, the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 1.1 per cent from January to February.

Latvia's year-on-year inflation figure now stands at 9.6 per cent, but economist Olga Ertuganova warned deflation was likely to be a bigger problem later in the year.

Controversial SS march divides Latvia and Russia

Riga  - Tensions rose Monday between Latvia and Russia ahead of a planned march to commemorate Waffen-SS soldiers on March 16, as Latvian foreign minister Maris Riekstins blasted Russian claims the Baltic state was glorifying Nazism.

"Nobody in Latvia is praising fascist ideology," Riekstins said during a TV interview on Monday.

On March 7, Russian media quoted an anonymous Russian foreign ministry source describing the Legionnaire's Day commemoration as a "Nazi supporters march" and drew parallels between it and Holocaust denial.

Latvia may need revised bailout, says prospective prime minister

Riga - Valdis Dombrovskis, who is likely to become Latvia's prime minister next week, said Friday the troubled Baltic state would probably need to negotiate a revised deal with the international lenders that have already offered it money.

Updating reporters on his efforts to establish a working coalition, Dombrovskis said that the worsening economic outlook would make it difficult for Latvia to stick to a commitment to limit its budget deficit to a maximum of 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2009.

In December 2008, the government of Ivars Godmanis secured a 7.5- billion-euro (9.5-billion-dollar) economic bailout package from the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, European Union and other international bodies.

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