National Library of Latvia Companies" signed the contract on the construction of the new "National Library of Latvia". On 18 May 2014, the main facility of the Library at Krišjāņa Barona iela was closed for the move. In 2008, construction started according to the design of the Latvian-American architect Gunnar Birkerts who has been tasked with the project already in 1989. The new building has 13 floors and is 68 m high. Construction costs were given as 193 million euros. 480 people work there. As part of Riga's programme for its title as European Capital of Culture, selected holdings were symbolically carried from the
Ministry of Economics (Latvia) Tourism Development Agency, the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, Competition Council, Consumer Rights Protection Center, and Public Utilities Commission. Ministry of Economics (Latvia) The Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia () is the leading state administrative institution responsible for economic policy in Latvia. The ministry also represents the economic interests of Latvia in the European Union. The current Minister of Economics is Arvils Ašeradens, appointed on February 11, 2016. The ministry develops and implements economic structural policy, manufacturing policy, energy policy, external economic policy, domestic market policy (for goods and services), commercial development policy, competitiveness and technological development