NEW YEAR MESSAGES

Another year has passed quite unnoticed carrying with it a period of human history to be expressed not only in a year's or a century's but also in a millennium’s length. Much is going to be said and researched yet concerning its contribution to the overall course of history. However, for each of us it is more important to reflect on our personal achievement, the personally discovered and established truths to be able to enrich each coming year with new experience and conviction.

To gain an insight into the ideas entertained throughout 1999 and those welcome in the coming year Birojs 2000 ZIŅAS asked a common question to the members of the Supervisory Committee. Horst Kohler, the President of the EBRD also agreed to express his view.

There are some ideas you have come to believe throughout this year, decade or a longer period of time. Which ones would you like to give up as relics of the previous year or century and which ones would you like to take with you in the future?

	HORST KOHLER, President of the EBRD: Ten years have wrought change in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union that few dared dream of before 1989. Freedom, market economies and the private sector have firmly taken root. The degree may vary widely by country and region -- but the overall direction is right. There is still a long way to go. The journey will not be easy. The crisis in Russia, the wars in Kosovo and now Chechnya – these serve as painful reminders. Yet at the same time, these events underscore how important it is to pursue a vision of freedom, peace and wealth for the whole of Europe. Our countries of operation can trust in the EBRD as a reliable, long-term partner. We are full of confidence in the future of the region. (Excerpts from the article Ten Years of Transition)
	ROBERTS ZILE, Minister for Special Assignment for Co-operation with International Financial Agencies, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee. Not all good plans are always carried out. It would be nice if this sad experience could solely be applied to bygone times. For the years to come it would be a good idea to remember the following - mutual understanding is easy to achieve provided those who speak also have a wish to listen.
	IVETA BOJARE, Advisor to the Minister for Special Assignment for Co-operation with International Financial Agencies. At times it may be convenient to be looking for bad luck, mishaps and other circumstances to be blamed - yet in the end one has to admit that there have been a lot of chances to be the master of one's own life. The habit of looking for excuses should be left behind in the past. The ability to live my own life I would gladly take with me for the years to come.
	ANDRIS BERZINS, Chairman of Riga City Council I believe that the ever-growing interdependence of countries will nowadays reduce violence and a chance for violent conflicts to break out, leaving disastrous wars back in the 20th century. I am confident that political and economic methods will replace those of military in solving conflicts and controversies in the future. The new millennium is going to bring great and rapid changes mainly in the field of technology therefore every person should be aware of his minor but at the same time decisive role. If a job is worth doing it is worth doing well - it is a well-known truth, which defines this role.
	ANDRIS GRINBERGS, Executive Director of Riga City Council During the last ten years I have come to believe that the greatest asset is the chance to live in an independent and free country. I think that the restoration of independence is the most outstanding achievement of the last decade.
	MARIS RIEKSTINS, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I expect the year 2000 and the next century to bring new hope. Shall we be able to fulfil them? I am most confident about it. Our greatest treasure is our people. Our good performance at work has proved that we are able to work as well as people elsewhere in Europe. In knowledge we do not fall behind our partners from developed western countries. Our country can give a substantial contribution to world culture. Latvian youths are learning hard to work for the benefit of their country. May we all wish success for Latvia in the next millennium.
	VALENTINA ANDREJEVA, State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Deputy Chairperson of the Supervisory Committee Assessing everything gained and experienced during the last year and decade, I would like to note that this has been a very beautiful period for me personally and the society as a whole. It has been a time of great changes and rapid growth, so rich in experience and emotion, information and news. Looking back on it I would like to forsake all negative experience we had to go through during the 1995 bank crisis, which considerably destroyed the faith of our people in the economic development. For the future - the next centenary and millennium - I wish you all and myself the vitality of mind, deed and action.
	VALDIS ZIEMELIS, Deputy Director of the Saeima Chancellery First of all, I would keep my relatives and friends because I cannot do without them in the twentieth century and will not be able to do without them in the twenty-first. Speaking about good ideas I hold that life is beautiful, notwithstanding the fact that at times it is pretty harsh. I am quite certain that I am going to think likewise in the next century.
	ANDRIS STARIS, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior I would like to leave with the previous year all the problems that still hamper the sovereignty of this country, its external and internal safety, integration into the European Union as well as the moral climate and development of our society. I wish to meet the new millennium, centenary and year as a citizen of a sovereign and democratic Latvia, holding to and appreciating the achievements gained in statehood formation, in quest of national identity and self-esteem during the period of independence restoration.
	AIVARS KALNINS, Director of Latvian Tourism Development Agency I would like to discard “the violence of pseudotruths” and stick to “the harmony of spiritual and physical freedom”.
ULDIS PETERSONS, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation In life order and disorder live together in harmony with each other. If one place is put in order, it inevitably evokes disorder somewhere else. Let us not destroy the harmony of life.