Latvian government's economy drive earmarks ministerial spending cuts.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

At a meeting of Latvia's new cabinet on 3 December, Prime Minister Einars Repse insistently urged his ministers to find items to cut from their spending so as to attain a budget deficit of a maximum of 3 per cent, according to an article published by the Latvian newspaper Diena web site on 4 December. Though the meeting ended inconclusively, certain institutions were earmarked for abolition as part of the economy drive. The following is the text of the report; subheadings inserted editorially:

Following Prime Minister Einars Repse's (New Era [JL]) recommendations to not only cut expenditure but also close institutions and withdraw some specific functions in order to reduce the budget deficit, the government may abolish the National Guard Service, which guards foreign embassies and several ministries, the National Information Network Agency (VITA), the …