This year’s priority will be ensuring sustainable development and restoration of the finance sector’s reputation, says chairman of Baltic International Bank Viktors Bolbats.

In spite of the initial difficulties, Eurozone’s creation should be viewed as a story of success. Additionally, the five years Latvia has spent in Eurozone should be considered successful, says Bank of Latvia Council member Mārtiņš Kazāks.

Because of businesses formed in Latvian municipalities, especially Riga, the country’s economy is divided into ‘clans’ that each pull in their own direction without giving the thought of how much damage such behaviour could deal to the economy and how much the country stagnates because of that, said Competition Council chairperson Skaidrīte Ābrama in an interview to BNN.

AS Pasažieru vilciens wants to purchase 32 new electric trains for a price of EUR 225,303,262. This amount three times exceeds the amount Estonia paid for its electric trains. «The problem in Latvia’s case is not just with the state overpaying but also with good deed champions wanting to buy trains first and think about their use later. There is no clarity in regards to use of those trains and railway infrastructure’s readiness,» BNN was told by ex-Transport Minister of Latvia Anrijs Matīss.

«It is not normal for EUR 100 million to be suddenly pumped into the road industry shortly before elections. By doing this, Transport Minister Uldis Augulis has hurt the road construction industry,» said Latvian Road Builders association’s chairman Andris Bērziņš in a conversation with BNN.

Baltic news, News from Latvia, BNN.LV, BNN-NEWS.COM, BNN-NEWS.RUEmergency Saeima elections would be cheaper than regular parliamentary elections. The only difference is that emergency elections have a shorter organization period, BNN was told by the chairman of the Central Election Commission Arnis Cimdars about the risk of emergency elections.

The current government formation process in Latvia can be described with two words – haste and ambitions, says ex-prime minister Valdis Birkavs.

If KPV LV ends in opposition, the party will not allow other parties rest, because the party is so active the opposition will become such the Saeima has never seen before, said KPV LV prime minister candidate Aldis Gobzems in an interview Rīta Panorāma programme of LTV.

Next year, Latvian government’s main priority should be compliance with requirements of European Council’s Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism or Moneyval, said Bank of Latvia Council member Mārtiņš Kazāks in an interview to Rīta Panorāma programme of LTV.

The low investment level currently stifles Latvia’s potential growth, said head of Monetary Policy Office of the Bank of Latvia Uldis Rutkaste.