Interesting insights and valuable perspectives
by Alexander Welscher
Latvian Central Bank Chief Mārtiņš Kazāks has given some insights and an macroeconomic outlook during a business lunch with AHK members on 9 December. Outlining the current economic development, the Governor of Latvijas Banka highlighted Germany’s importance for the macroeconomic trajectory in Europe. "Germany is my hope for the next three, four years", he said in his presentation, referring to the debt level of Europe's biggest economy and the extra headroom provided by the loosening of the debt brake and the extrabudgetary funds for defense and infrastructure.
"Germany has the ability to drive the European economy now, but it needs to do it smartly", Kazāks emphasized, adding that there is a risk of pushing the debt without any benefit and productivity. During his presentation and the discussion with the audience, the internationally widely respected financial expert also addressed other challenges laying ahead in the economies of Germany, Latvia and other European countries, including above-average food-driven inflation and persistent wage pressures.
Kazāks first became Latvian Central Bank chief in December 2019 and was reappointed for a second five-year term in Februar 2025. However, whether the 52 year old will fullfill its term until the end, remains to be seen. Kazāks has been nominated by the Latvian goverment as candidat for the position of ECB vice president that will fall vacant end of May 2026. Other contenders for the post include Estonia´s central-bank chiefs Madis Müller and Lithuania’s former Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius.
Kazāks was fittingly put forward as candidate on the day of the Baltic Capital Market Conference in Riga where financial experts were discussing the development of the Baltic capital market. Among the more than 500 participants and 35 speakers of the event held on 27 November were also the Baltic finance minister Jürgen Ligi (Estonia), Arvils Ašeradens (Latvia) and Kristupas Vaitiekūnas (Lithuania) as well as Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa.
While as a common unanimous conclusion of the conference emerged that the potential of the Baltic capital market is still significantly underutilized and its development is crucial for the region's long-term economic stability, growth, and security, the discussion indicated that a strong capital market in will not emerge overnight. Needed is more regional cooperation, the right policy framework and mindset, as various experts in their speeches and panel discusssions pointed out.
A similar success recipe could be heard at an event organised on 25 November by the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, the Bundesbank and the German embassy in Riga about a topic of growing urgency for Europe. Unter the title "Frugal No More? Fiscal Policy in the Baltic States Between Stability and Security Requirements" financial expert discussed defence spending and fiscal policy. Among the participant were Latvian Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens and high-ranking official of the Baltic Central banks.
