Latvia for the next 45 years. The peaceful Singing Revolution, starting in 1987, called for Baltic emancipation from Soviet rule and condemning the Communist regime's illegal takeover. It ended with the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia on 4 May 1990, and restoring "de facto" independence on 21 August 1991. Latvia is a democratic sovereign state, parliamentary republic and a very highly developed country according to the United Nations Human Development Index. Its capital Riga served as the European Capital of Culture in 2014. Latvian is the official language. Latvia is a unitary state, divided into
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