European Debt Crisis Cools Baltic Enthusiasm for Euro Entry

Latvia and Lithuania are becoming less enthusiastic about following Baltic neighbor Estonia into the euro area, potentially delaying the next expansion of the common currency beyond 2014.

Lithuanian central bank Governor Vitas Vasiliauskas said yesterday that the government’s goal of adopting the euro in three years is “not something to kill yourself over.” His Latvian counterpart, Ilmars Rimsevics, said June 7 that the currency shouldn’t be introduced “at any price.”