The Public Debt of Latvia: Short-Term and Long-Terms Aspects

Abstract

The article investigates the structure and dynamics of public debt of Latvia for the period from 2006–2016 year. The relevance of the study long-term effects of public debt on the economy of Latvia is predetermined by a significant increase in its volume of low GDP growth rates in recent years. This article discusses conceptual approaches and criteria for evaluation of the public debt. An analysis of the main reasons for the growth of public debt of Latvia after joining the EU, considers its specific characteristics and consequences as compared with the more developed EU countries on the basis of these annual reports of Latvia Treasury over the past ten years. Analysis of the structure of the debt of Latvia on maturity shows that an effective public debt management necessarily involves consideration of the long-term effects of the growth of public debt to the public. High level of the external indebtedness in the structure of Latvian public debt is a factor of the growth of “debt overhang” even following Maastricht criterions of public debt. As a result of the research is justification of differentiated approach necessity to the evaluation of public debt with considering of intertemporal effects.