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The move had been expected and comes after Latvia met the required financial criteria, including levels of state debt, budget deficit and inflation.
Polls, however, indicate that nearly two-thirds of Latvia's population is against swapping the lat for the euro, which only last year some investors were betting would collapse.
A government spokesman said Monday that the formal request would be given to the European Union's Monetary Affairs Commissioner, Olli Rehn, on March 5 in Brussels.
The commission, along with the European Central Bank, will likely decide on Latvia's request in June. | 
