The EBRD Annual Meeting held in the capital of Latvia in the middle of
May can be considered one of the largest international events throughout the 800-year old
history of Riga. The gathering of businessmen and financiers has been a supreme
opportunity for Latvia to demonstrate its achievements gained over the period of nine
years since the restoration of independence. Therefore two years in advance of the Meeting
work on the reconstruction of numerous buildings in Riga and upgrading of the image of the
City was begun.
The state and government officials of Latvia have put a high value on
the significance of the EBRD Meeting for Latvia’s further development.
- The EBRD Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting is a great success and
hopefully it will be followed by a positive result, - admitted Vaira Vike-Freiberga,
President of Latvia, who lead discussions at the seminar Regional Co-operation in North
Europe organised within the framework of the EBRD Business Forum. The President
stressed that many participants of the EBRD Meeting confessed to having imagined Latvia
quite different from what it really was. Delegates of the Conference had been surprised to
learn that Riga would soon be celebrating its 800th anniversary, which was a historic
event.
Following the meeting Andris Berzins, Prime Minister of Latvia,
expressed the view-point that Latvia could be duly proud of the good organisational level
of the EBRD Annual Meeting in Riga. The Prime Minister believes that the financial
resources invested in the organisation of the EBRD Annual Meeting by the Latvian
Government and Riga Municipality will definitely pay off in the long run.
Roberts Zile, Minister for Special Assignment for Co-operation with
International Financial Agencies and EBRD Governor for Latvia to is of an opinion that the
finances invested by Latvia (in the organisation of the EBRD Board of Governors’ Annual
Meeting in Riga approximately LVL 1.5 million) will definitely return in the next two or
three years in the form of investment. In his opinion, the cleaner and more beautiful
Riga, the chance of the Governors to meet with our President and ministers is a step
forward on the road to attracting foreign investment.
