Latvian authorities hope to boost the country’s birth rate and coax back the skilled diaspora, in a bid to turn around the country’s population decline, which has shrunk by 13 percent in little more than a decade.
Of all the countries involved in the Second World War, little mention is given to Latvia and Estonia. In 1939, they were invaded and occupied for two years, not by Hitler - but by Stalin's Red Army. With no chance of fighting back by themselves, many soldiers in the Baltic states were forced to join forces with the Germans, leaving a question mark hanging over where their loyalties really lay. Even today, veterans are forced to defend their actions from over 70 years ago.
Latvian voters overwhelmingly said ‘no’ to making Russian the country’s second official language on Saturday in a referendum that has stirred ethnic tensions and provoked criticism from former imperial ruler Russia.
As Greece struggles to push through unpopular budget cuts, Latvia is proving that tough austerity measures are possible. The country was bailed out by the IMF, saw its government fall, and embarked on one of the toughest austerity programmes ever seen. Now its growth is back up at 5%. Could Latvia serve as a model for Greece in the future?
A 480-million euro budget to supply food to Europe's poorest could be slashed by 80%, the prospect of which has alarmed NGOs and charities. In April, the EU Court of Justice said the programme could only use supplies from EU food stocks. But stocks have fallen dramatically in recent years following reforms in the bloc's farming policies, forcing the use of EU money instead to buy supplies on the markets.
The money is there to help Roma gypsies - but few countries are using it. Our reporters have been to Romania, to see what life is like for Europe's largest Roma population. A much-anticipated exhibition in Germany re-opens debate on the Third Reich. And we check out a company in Lithuania that's setting out to turn the cliché of the dumb blonde on its head.
Latvia has elected to keep hold of its incumbent coalition government with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (pictured) at the helm. The country’s populist pro-Russia party meanwhile has made gains but is likely to remain in opposition with 25%.
With early figures showing Latvia's coalition retaining power with almost 60 per cent of the ballot, Prime Minister Valdis
Dombrovskis still faces tough challenges to rescue the country's economy.
Latvians are casting their ballots in what could be a very closely contended election race. The outcome will impact on the country's faltering economy and its place within the Euro zone.
In this edition: The Israeli army’s raid on a Gaza bound flotilla continues to cause controversy online; the Latvian blogosphere supports the most popular hacker in the country; and a weatherman becomes rap star.
