A Journey Through Latvia

[@paakjis]

That's the best ad I ever seen about Latvia ! Very good job! :)

[@GeorgeGrishinHistory]

A good one! I have been working in Riga since 1994 and always loved it!

[@maurofranco2354]

Latvia, welcome in the Euro currency! I write from Italy and I wish you the effects of this currency will be good in Latvia. Mauro

[@Uruguay182]

I loved it! I visited Latvia in 2012 and it was beautiful I will come again, even if it is far from Uruguay!

[@wexus78]

Agreed bro , your 100% right, Lithuania-Latvia-Estonia brothers for life.

[@ligitalaimina6149]

So positive and good! I am finaly startingto feel proud!

[@viliuspaltinavicius7348]

Nice video! Best regards from Lithuania :)

[@danieljanetschek]

love this video since always. since 2015 is in our blogs

[@danieljanetschek]

we think to promote this video of Latvia again on our tv. cannot find another better than this one. great job anyway

[@simbaress]

Wow!!! Latvia... Liking the place

[@Saecristan]

Good one!

[@chicslt]

Published on Apr 1, 2013

[@lkrnpk]

yeah it's true that you can go postal when dealing with the postal system in Latvia, the bit about opening a company- don't know, have never tried that yet, but I've heard this ''fact'' somewhere before. Languages - it depends but in my experience people with higher education really tend to know these 3 languages + German, plus Swedish, French + Spanish. I know several young Latvians who are fluent in Spanish, one is my cousin (all have married hot Spanish boys though)

[@cryspypotato]

I think it's mostly in the past - educated young Latvians are beyond that, we are moving forward - and positive thinking only improves the situation.

[@AMA2309]

Thank u very much for responsing me months later. You are so fast

[@multiuglyducklin]

It depends on the school actually. We HAVE to learn English and Russian. I used to live in UK for 3 year, came back again, started 8th grade and they said that I have to learn Russian even though I didn't know a word in Russian and I wanted German because I had been learning it for 3 years!

[@FelipeAlbrecht1]

Well done!! Going to Latvia next summer.. again :)

[@йцукенпомидоров]

Great video aimed for investors! But I went facepalm when I saw Blue studio microphones "used" on PA system (public address).

[@TheDanaDeni]

Excellent! Wow! Impressed.

[@RigaRoosterMikeJohnson]

I find the video to be quite a nice effort in concept with excellent creativity and overall production quality. As a result - as an unfamiliar potential investor, I might take from this video some interest to do some "homework" into the REALITY of the Latvian situation.

[@Zenjoksss]

sounds good, but where is it?

[@RigaRoosterMikeJohnson]

On the note of language skills, passing a "test" is one thing - BUT effective communication in a second language is clearly another.

[@BeL4eNaK]

Шикарно! Молодцы!

[@karlis2223]

Really nice video! Hope there will be more such video's which advertise Latvia advantages for investors and people. Latvia really lacks marketing - other countries are far ahead in this area, while Latvia has a lot of advantages comparing to other investor places.

[@error408881]

That really depends what kind of job You are doing.

[@IngaV1]

Ļoti abs darbs! Ļoti! Esmu lepna par Latviju un par aģentūru, kas šo izdomāja un realizēja. Beidzot mums ir kvalitatīvs, interesants un panamāms video par Latviju! Nicely done! :)

[@ivoeglitis]

Welcome Cyprus!!

[@Keepinitreal55]

Wow sounds like a great place

[@JohnyJKLV]

Good and well done! Most of the info is really true, just one thing about the competitiveness of our labour force. Mostly it's achieved by demanding a degree almost for every job here while paying even lower wages than non-degree-educated workers receive elsewhere in the EU. People are fed up with that and are leaving the country. That's why we find people from Latvia with university degrees doing menial work in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Norway etc.

[@gatchazz]

Well it is a good Presentation of Latvia to start with, though the aspects of bureaucracy still takes place which have to be taken into account. Truely I do believe that we are on the right track to make the economical situation more stable and sustainable although the funding of the private sector has to reach a level where local Entrepreneurs reach the demand of global Entrepreneurs. And definitely the investments coming from outside world will create the fundament necessary.

[@upirrr]

awesome ad, seriously

[@oO0oo0oO0oO0o0OoO0oO]

50% of Latvia's population earns less than 280 Euros. For example, largest supermarketchain "Rimi" and "Maxima" 80% of workers gets around 215 EUR.

[@RigaRoosterMikeJohnson]

Latvia may have a VERY HIGH university employment rate - BUT the effective rate of creative thinking, positive attitude, communicative style graduates is a much different thing. Concerning taxes, the tax rate may be desirable - BUT the tax filing and record requirements are quite a different story, too.

[@Buratinopro]

believe it or not, Matīss, but my mother is working as a teacher in a kinder-garden and she does get just below 300 EUR a month... like most of the others in the branch (perhaps the administrative personal in schools feels a little more well off)... what concerns 'cleaning streets', I believe you'll be able to earn roughly around 200 - 240 EUR, depending on a number of districts you work at...

[@deathcore420]

Yep, it's all in how you look at it.

[@Ricokz]

The data is taken from webhostingbuzz, Akamai (from which CNN uses data for its internet-related articles), some Cambridge internet analyst film (ABC15 article), speedtestnet also ranks Latvia amongst the TOP (it was high before, not sure which position is it now, altho speedtest isn't quite reliable as it only checks results from the tests). Not a false claim. Latvia, Lithuania, South Korea, Romania, Sweden etc. have the best internet connections in the world, proven by various sources.

[@rigaraggadim]

Great video!

[@reinisfeldmanis2723]

Nu bravo. Tiešām bij prieks skatīties. Manā skatījumā ļoti labi nostrādāts. Malači. :)

[@LoveScreamTrue]

Here you can find transcript of the video, or major business key aspects of Latvia: blog baltic-legal com/page-latvia-business-investors-advertisement-2013-apr.htm

[@iliketeaa]

Almost half of Latvia's citizens are Russian, so, even if you do not choose Russian as the optional third language, you're still almost guaranteed to speak it quite fluently. For example, I chose German instead of Russian, yet I speak Russian better than German, I also picked French for a fifth language, but that's another story. Despite that, most of your critiques are spot on, and besides all that, a lot of people leave the country after graduation as it's near impossible to make a living here

[@leldelatkovska3930]

and what would you suggest instead? what kind of video would achieve its objective if not this?

[@lkrnpk]

I know few Scandinavians, Frenchmen, Spaniards Lithuanians who live and work in Riga, of course it's nothing if compared to people going the other way, but the exchange of peoples will only increase in Europe. We cannot think in old stereotypes, how do you think what will happen if by 2070s you can fly cheap from Riga to Oslo in say 20 minutes using your personal vehicle? How many Norvegians will choose to live in Oslo and how many somewhere near Riga for 1/10 of the price....

[@sapieru1a]

Kvalitatīvi, asprātīgi, man patīk!

[@Buratinopro]

Am I or my mother the ones who should to DO something? Maybe... But can we? I myself leave in Sweden now, and don't actually think my contribution can be something more than trying to earn as much as possible here, in order to be able to help my family and continue hoping for the best. My mother, in theory she could do something, but instead of organizing protests or whatsoever, she continues to do her job (and, believe me, she does it really well), and I have to admit, I totally understand her

[@Archijs]

Hello talisbriedis. Thank you for simple language, I understand what you say easy. Only sentence 4 a bit hard, can you tell it more simple please?

[@Swarmah]

In high school i had to learn Latvian, German, Russian, English, and now in University i have to learn + spanish and french.

[@Jellytoaster]

Super!!

[@wexus78]

Great video! Welcome from Lithuania...

[@jenssdewalkaLV]

Labs video, varētu teikt pat ļooooti labs ;) - žēl ka es nedzīvoju tajā foršajā valstī... ā pag.. es taču dzīvoju, bāc.. nesapratu.. ?

[@AndrejsZavaruhins]

I'm sorry if I offend anyone. Sarcasm is what I feel when being presented with how fluffy and prosperous it all seems. I should say it's a freat vid for the corporate elites. I'll be playing this commercial at the back of my head every time I take a walk at Riga's bus and train station, underways...when visiting someone's apartment, talking to someone or just overhearing some old babushka bragging about the market prices. But I guess I should be more optimistic since it's a smile or die reasoning. Basically in plain words the commercial says "we are really open for investments". Apart from the up side, one could look into minimum wages, pensions and Gini coefficient for Latvia. I guess what wiki gives for Gini coefficient (35.9) is skewed. The disparity between a beggar and a Bentley owner is getting greater. Success stories of those who get out to international level and are able to withstand the cutthroat competition are few, while foreclosures are growing. Take the downslide of Liepājas Metalurgs as a recent example... "Oh, hello immigrants from Eastern Europe" says the owner of a fish factory in Germany or a construction company in the U.K... All sarcasm aside, wishing Latvia and everyone a bright, sunny, happy, sustainable and predictable future.

[@lkrnpk]

What you're talking about is true, but what I don't understand about people is... almost nobody is actually doing anything about this situation. I have heard the talk about pensions and babushkas and whatnot million times already and I'm just sick of it, because usually it is used by demagogues to fish votes in next elections ''look at the images of these poor pensioners, workers, leading party is corrupt, we will take place and Latvia will become prosperous''. In what way?? What is your long term strategy? Because I'm sorry, but if you say that in 4 years, we'll have 700 euro minimum salary it's BS... It will never happen, because economics. There are few people with quiet voices who actually talk about long term strategy and possible solutions for these problems, but I have no use of thousands of people who just mutter something under their noses about ''corrupt government'' and that's all. And I hate these discussions, because they're dumb. People don't know sh** about economics, they believe that money grows on trees and if only government was willing, it could tomorrow raise salaries 2-3 times and if only 10 people who receive 5000 euros from state budget salaries were cut in half, all the pensioners would live in paradise. Economic situation of Latvia is not a trivial question and it deserves a serious, knowledgeable discussion, but people on internet or muttering something to you on the street when you meet them, don't and won't change anything... because saying that everyone is corrupt etc. is also trivializing the conversation.

[@AndrejsZavaruhins]

lkrnpk Apart from talking, what future do you envisage for Latvia? What is the long term strategy do you bespeak of? We live in a world of globalization where it's cheaper to grow and import garlic from China than to grow it on Latvian soil. It's not only Latvia stuck in this global game. It's cheaper to catch shrimps in Danish waters, ship them to Africa to get them cleaned by locals and ship them back to Denmark stores. As long as this type of thinking goes, the less developed countries are the winners. Well, until it all levels up. Personally, I liked the big push theory in eco, whereas all the spheres of production are developed complimentary to each other, from making bread to steel. The theory works in the ideal circumstances given the country is self-sufficient, but within the framework of globalization it doesn't. Again, if it's cheaper to produce steel in China or buy better grade stainless steel in Germany, who would ever look at a country that sells steel twice as expensive? To my mind, we don't have an international product, abundant raw natural resources or human resources that would make us stand out and prosper, like Germany - BMWs and Mercedes, U.S.A. and Japan - technology, Russia and OPEC - oil, China - cheap and for the most part workaholic labor force (if we were to compare to other countries). Although the video mentions the tri-lingual labor force as one of our strongest sides, we don't have "brains" like the Japanese. Also I haven't heard of a scientific invention in Latvia recently. These seem rather minor if we were to look on a grater scale. Again, I'm sorry if I offend anyone. Although Latvia doesn't have a renown international product, it has national products that stand out. Lauma, Rīgas Balzams and Grindex come to my mind, but like you said, these are no use for thousands (even hundreds of thousands) of people. These separate success stories won't form budget for a whole country. At 1:22 we see a cargo ship "Herberts" full of timber, ready to be exported to other countries. Selling forests for exports, which is one of the up sides of Latvian eco, is not a solution since it comprises about 15% of GDP. I'm happy to see Latvia has its own furniture produced on the spot here in Latvia. Maybe I'm wrong, but in my opinion this could be taken even further by cutting down timber exports. Instead of exporting timber elsewhere and wait while some IKEA makes the furniture for us and sells it to us, we could produce and specialize on a wide spectrum of furniture. However, forests won't last forever and they don't grow like mushrooms after the rain. At 2:55 the so called overachievers are starting to flee the country in search of a better future, primarily Western EU. Think keeping salaries low for the educated students will keep them home? Better be educated at home and sometimes unemployed or underpaid than work a grab-and-carry job as an immigrant elsewhere while making same amount of money? Yet again, if the students are so well-educated, where are all the scientific inventions? Geographical location alone won't help us much. Trade happens all of the time, whether peace, international tensions or even war. In the light of the recent events, however, I bet Russia would develop its own ice-free port in the Saint-Petersburg. That might hurt the transits of the ice-free ports in Latvia. To sum up, unless we have strong cards of the economic game (either natural resources, human resources or an internationally renown product that would out-compete any single country out there) we can't expect high prosperity. The EU won't fund us forever. The video presents Latvia as a hub, not as a major factory producer. A hub, either for transit, for export or as a production-investment ground for the international companies. The message conveyed to Latvians is clear: go to university, await investors, chop wood, do transit.

[@Archijs]

Oh yes, James is very popular invesment investor in Great Britan. Not so popular James May, becaus James May very popular, but so so popular. James is on television BBC morning show talks about business and investment in Latvia, because Latvia is a great nation for investment.

[@aleksejsmiscuks9813]

Great ad.

Nice segway: "Do you like nature?" There is a catch - it takes quite a bit longer to start a company in Latvia.

[@multiuglyducklin]

Yeah, in some primary schools they give you a choice to learn German or Russian, but afterwards you still have to know Russian. Yes, their both popular that's why in quite a lot of schools have an obligation to learn them. Well, like in Aluksne region, Gulbene region, Venstpils, Liepaja in Latgale schools, I'm not sure about Riga, but yeah... And last year there was a chance to have Russian as the second native language then it would definitely be an obligation in ALL schools in Latvia!

[@audrissarkanis6898]

Kaut katrs spētu šādi passtāstīt par Latviju citam. Lielisks video.

[@CopmanZ]

Because the English is the most commonly used language among foreign language speakers. Throughout the world, when people with different languages come together they commonly use English to communicate. Well, another reason why English is so important is that it is the language of science. To excel in science you need to know English. Did I answer to your question?

[@vilnisz]

Really nice clip. A little decoration, a little craft, but let’s hope investors will make impulse investment, and not check, let’s say Global Competitiveness Report.

[@martinssurums3938]

yeah Latvia rocks

[@BearsEatsBeets]

Kas Tavuprāt ir 'world's 4th fastest broadband connection'?

[@abernhards4773]

Does any one know who (JAMES) is ?

[@multiuglyducklin]

That is not a joke! It's an obligation to learn English and Russian in school, and some schools have opportunities to learn some more foreign languages, well I have to learn 4, English, Russian, German and including my own language Latvian...

[@ViLTOJUMS]

You are not talking about USA, but I'm talking about that nothing is perfect anywhere and sure, there allways are things and ways to improve.

[@kirikosik]

Nice

[@AntChistoff]

Agree about politicians. Roads are ok though.

[@piguidram]

I'm living in Germany for 5 years already. Yes, corruption is everywhere however its not so explicit as in Latvia, Rare cases are going through the court, most of accused people do not go to jail. Latvia is going in Russian tradition when corruption and bribery is acceptable. Corruption in Canada, I think gets much more public and legal attention than in Lavtia.

[@fjodorgontovoj2854]

pzdc kakoj-to, prosto v cyrk hoditj nenado!

[@RigaRoosterMikeJohnson]

I have always believed that effective ads have the following characteristics: 1. short and to the point 2. in the words of an actual stakeholder not made-up situation 3. quick, positive, factual and pictorial 4. let the photos and graphics tell the story not the words checkout the KZbin channel InvestMacedoniaAds

[@AGFTW]

Congrats on the Video! :) Very well done! :)

[@JohnNash82]

Согласен, это первое правило в бизнесе - вести себя уверенно. Да и по правде говоря Латвия в некоторых вещах превосходит те самые Западные страны: например у нас быстрее интернет, лучше экология, чище улицы, более натуральные продукты, больше образованных людей

[@coke00000000]

Žēl cilvēku ar zemu pašvērtējumu, kas labu PAR SEVI neko nevar pateikt, bet, kad runājat par MANU valsti, jūs runājat par MANI un jūsu neveiksmes jūs nevarat attiecināt uz visiem :)))))))

[@Pppppaaaabbbiit]

Archij, tu esi ikona! btw, atkārtoju BTW, Iesaku paskatīties viņa video par homeopātiju, visi sapratīsiet.

[@risikawi]

If you had done a web search before blabbering, you'd see there are plenty such top lists and ranking of various countries seems to vary hugely. From personal experience Internet speed in Latvia is just fine, compared to some other Baltic States. So my guess would be as long as country is somewhere in top 15 and ranks higher than any country insisting on being so advanced that there should be dash after initial E in its name, you're fine

[@lkrnpk]

It's already happening, German pensioners are spending their euros in Czech Republic because old people's homes are cheaper there and the level of comfort is comparable... What happens when Latvians who are working in England start receiving their UK pensions? Do you think they'll stay there, being the first generation of migrants? In 19th century if you bought a ticket to USA you had no way to return (and what would you do when returned) back, now the homeland is EUR 30 away...

[@allofmeirl]

I like it!

[@AGFTW]

form my own experience, the fact that we do study at least two foreign languages, it does not mean, that we must learn Russian, not all schools have that obligation, you can choose whether to learn Russian, German, French or Chinese for that mater (depends on schools). And about speaking in Russian, the post-soviet (my) generation of Latvians hardly speaks any Russian at all... ( we tend to understand it, but speaking - come on) :D

[@relikts4]

yes roads are prity fuckt up in LV

[@agrinjo88]

pirmais klips,ar kuru LV var nopietni lepoties :) veidotāji malači! Tikai viens BET,ja tā būtu realitāte..

[@fintistick]

yeah, baby, yeah!

[@artoporto]

Gaumīgi un drusku pat stilīgi :) Prieks!

[@risikawi]

No, it is not, those two languages are more popular, not mandatory. Everyone has to learn native language and two foreign languages and, if you choose to focus on humanities and social sciences in high school, you have to learn a third language. Everyone will learn Latvian either as native or second language. But there is no obligation to learn any other language in particular. So, you could end up in some other combination.

[@houseplayer1000]

Couldn't agree more.

[@multiuglyducklin]

You've got to agree with him/her, the roads are horrible, in a few months you can wreck your car! We pay taxes for it but we get screwed by politicians and that's shit! But you've got to love it for it's nature and how beautiful it is!:)))

[@Archijs]

Hello Mr. Riga Rooster Mike Johnson. Latvian universitys are very good, because education is very good. Latvian universities teach good language and comunication skills, and are very cheap. If you study good in university, you study for free. In Great Britain university cost 5000 pounds per year, in Latvia 0 pounds per year. So what you think is better - 5000 or 0? Of cours 0! I study in Latvia University for 2 years, and it is very easy and good, and I did not pay even 1 pound.

[@Gmyza2]

What did you say about my country? its the best

[@MsMsStephanie]

finally a reasonable commentary here :)

[@darkix10]

Kad bija runa par mūziku vajadzēja pieminēt Dziesmu svētkus. :)

[@ArtisDaugins]

Tik lielisks video! FANTASTIKA!!!

[@Gmyza2]

well thats true

[@BeL4eNaK]

Ролик хороший, не нужно постоянно ныть, что у нас все плохо. Нужно создавать позитивный имидж и тогда наладится!

[@sasliks95]

THE CATCH IS 21% TAXES

[@DavisSuneps]

Corruption is not that bad, we're ranked 65 out of 144 (studied, Russia being ~140) countries, and the situation is improving ;)

[@Archijs]

As a smart person you understand, that english is my first language not, and I do not care what you think of thinking about my english skills. I have school diploma, that is saying that my english level is B, which is rather very good, only 1 behind letter A. Also I have talking to my friends in Ireland and they say my skills in language english are very good and they understand everything.

[@RigaRoosterMikeJohnson]

it's NOT about being NEGATIVE.... my comments relate to FALSE and or exaggerated advertising statement which will give the WRONG impression to the potential company interested in Latvia advertising should be positive - but make the positive statement about absolute TRUTHful things...

[@winlogmaster]

Quite good commercial ;) True, well told... :D

[@thegeneraldeath]

and neverending winter [:

[@shtolcers]

As intelligent and well educated latvian I could agree those 5 seconds from 4:20 to 4:25 Other things are dreams of a Münchausen. But it doesn't mean everything is really bad. It just means LIAA (The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia ) sucks hard and is far from being productive organization. Cheers!

[@armandsdamanhoo]

nedaudz atgādina PSRS filmu "Lielais Dzintars", kur padomju tūristu bari gāžas pār Siguldu un Jūrmalu

[@ZemgusZaharans]

4:27 digitālo logu iedegšanās baznīcu torņos nedaudz pabojāja patīkamo iespaidu par klipu:)

[@martinskohs]

Oh! They forgot to mention our roads :D

[@norrismoz]

im not talking about usa.. its about, that there's still so much to improve in LV, i mean to fight the corruption.. but thats an endless story

[@Shvarcs]

Labs! Smashing :)