Lng terminal is the best short-term solution for providing an economically viable supply diversification of gas supplies both for Latvia and the whole Baltic region.

Caspian Energy (CE): Your Excellency, how would you evaluate EU’s present policy and the role of Latvia in EU? To what extent is EU now capable to become a single political-economic power?

Valdis Dombrovskis: Latvia has always been a part of Europe. After restoring our independence in 1991, integration in EU and NATO became one of the main strategic goals, which was successfully completed in 2004. Our political relations as well as trade relations with EU countries have been growing for past 20 years and EU has become our main trading partner with 70% of our trade turnover. EU was created as a vehicle for cooperation between European countries and it was always aimed at more integration and cooperation among member states, therefore the number of cooperation areas has been growing. Time will show how this will develop, but it is clear that if EU as an economy wants to be competitive with BRIC countries, USA and other global players, we have to move to higher integration.