Ligi: In Latvia, We Have a Eurozone Ally
Estonia's outspoken finance minister Jürgen Ligi has welcomed Latvia's enrollment in the Eurozone from the beginning of 2014, saying that Estonia and Finland now have an ally.
Speaking at the government's weekly press conference on Thursday, Ligi said his own memory of switching to the currency is still fresh and Latvia's move has been emotional for him.
“Estonia has had to help and vitalize Latvia, not only financially but also morally. There have been moments when Latvia has suffered from reform fatigue,” Ligi said.
Latvia has recovered well from the crisis, Ligi said, although the recovery took longer than in Estonia -they were deeper in recession and their budget was structurally in a worse position.