Andrus Ansip

Estonian and Latvian leaders compare notes on economy

Estonian and Latvian leaders compare notes on economy Tallinn - Estonia's Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and his Latvian counterpart Valdis Dombrovskis met in the Estonian capital, Tallinn on Thursday to compare notes on the Baltic region's economic woes and to prepare for the forthcoming NATO summit to be held in Strasbourg and Kehl.

Ansip tried to strike an upbeat note despite the economic gloom in the two countries which have seen real estate bubbles burst and rapid growth go into an equally rapid decline.

Estonian prime minister eyes 2010 euro adoption date

Estonian prime minister eyes 2010 euro adoption date Tallinn  - Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said Thursday that the Baltic state could adopt the euro as its national currency by the middle of next year.

"It is possible that Estonia will request an extraordinary assessment from the European Commission and European Central Bank (ECB) this year," Ansip told a news conference in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

"The purpose of requesting the assessment is so we could join the eurozone from July 1, 2010," he said.