LATVIAN GOVERNMENT FACES PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION ON BANKINGBILLS.

The Latvian parliament has refused to pass three newbanking laws which the government says are required to get additionalfunding from international financial institutions for the purposeof reimbursing depositors for losses suffered in the Baltija Bankfailure, BNS reported July 18. This decision suggests that thebanking crisis has now become a political crisis as Latvia headstoward September elections.

Belarusians Fear Price Rises More than Crime or Dictatorship.