RIGA - Latvian Finance Minister Atis Slakteris has told reporters that he believes his English skills are among the most valuable in Latvia. His basis for this being that he secured a 7.5 billion euro loan from the IMF, World Bank and other organizations.
"I got 7.5 billion euros, I assume this is one of the most valuable English languages in Latvia," said Slakteris in an interview with Latvian public radio on Jan. 19.
He said that on Jan. 20 he will head to the EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels without an interpreter, despite the fact that most ministers speak in their own language and have translators.
Slakteris' ill-fated English language Bloomberg interview has been the subject of much criticism and humor throughout the nation and Europe, despite the ministers success in helping the Baltic State with the 7.5 billion euro loan.
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