Editor’s note  

News & Views  

The Baltic States: a negative investment position
We have to acknowledge that all three Baltic States are net-debtors, i.e. in their financial relationships with the world community they are insolvent, contemplates Latvian reviewer.  

Baltic state economies: tiger syndrome
For Western experts economic growth in the Baltic states during the last 4-5 years very often seems quite extraordinary. Indeed, almost zero-growth in the EU member states (in average, 1-1,5%) has been in striking contrast with that of about 6% in average in the Baltic states.  

Baltic Sea maritime transportation: the struggle is not yet over
As soon as the Baltic States join the EU, in favorable transportation position would be the companies and the countries that can organize good ferry lines.  

Road transport sector facing an abrupt turn in the Eastern Baltic region
The three Baltic States future memberships in the European Union, i.e. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will inevitably provide for changes applicable for participants of the international road transportation.  

Much is to be done…
Three main issues of contemporary Latvian development i.e. economic, politics and integration attract people’s attention both within the country and abroad. We have talked about it with the newly re-elected Latvian President.  

Latvia, is it Latvian or European?
The Latvian law “On Education” decrees that starting from 2004, secondary education financed from the state budget will be performed only in Latvian as the language of instruction.  

Famous Baltic resorts: with a view to the future
Restoring romantic glory of Baltic seaside health resorts is the task that mayors of three Baltic coastal towns have committed themselves to. Dainis Urbanovics, Jurmala ex-mayor (Latvia), Pranas Zeimis, Palanga Mayor (Lithuania) and Vaino Hallikmagi, Parnu Mayor (Estonia) were all willing to answer questions to journalists from the BC on the present and future of their cities.  

A house by the sea
Three main resort cities in the Baltic states – Jurmala, Palanga and Prnu – have one feature in common: quite a developed real estate market with high price levels.  

Land for sale in Latvia: citizens vs non-citizens
Latvia has adopted regulations concerning some restrictions for land acquisition by the citizens of the EU and other countries.  

Pour me an anti-stress coctail
A kind of anti-stress cocktail is not a wild fantasy but one of many Vasily Bankovsky’s discoveries. He is a Latvian bioengineer, and solving the problem of stress tolerance has become V. Bankovsky’s most important mission both in science and his private life.  

Brussels - Frankfurt: a science fiction movie on stage
On the eve of the EU enlargement the battle of ideas for reform of the European Union is gathering pace. The European Central Bank has become one of the first battle grounds of controversies among the EU candidate countries and present Member states.  

Giscard’s Convention: a serious threat to the EU stability
The EU Convention lead by Valery Giscard d’Estaing is bringing new surprises both to the EU member states and candidate countries. Now when after 16 months the work of the Convention is over it has become even more evident.  

Using stick and carrot…
Recent transport policy development in the EU has shown that Communities all the time used “stick & carrot” approaches to regulations.  

Constitution for Europe
and new Presidency of the Council of the European Union
 

Belarus and EU: a responsible neighborhood
Quite a few experts after the collapse of the USSR would dare to say that the Republic of Belarus located in the geographical center of a “big Europe” could be reduced to an outsider of the European integration at the turn of the century.  

When the bells solemnly ring…
At the end of July this year the Russian city of Pskov celebrated its 1,100th anniversary. It’s one of the oldest cities both in Russia and all of Europe. It is almost of the same age as Russia herself, i.e. in the year 852 A.D. the land of Russia was first mentioned in Chronicles. Some fifty years later – this ancient city…  

School of Business Administration Turiba launches first international education program
Studies in Tourism and Hospitality Management at the Faculty of International Tourism of the School of Business Administration Turiba – the sole Master’s Degree program in this area in Latvia – are possible in English commencing September this year. Fifty students instructed in English will establish the first-ever internationally represented study course since the founding of Turiba 10 years ago.  

Implementation of the SAVE Directive and the Energy Performance Directive in Latvia
Being part of the overall EU accession process the Latvian energy sector has to comply with the relevant EU legislation. This involves implementation of EU Directives in the Latvian legislation.