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04.03.2014
From January 2 to February 28, 2014, 22 million lats were exchanged at the 302 Latvijas Pasts post offices that offer exchange of lats for euros. 19.4 million lats of the total amount of cash for exchange were exchanged for euros in January and only 2.6 million lats or 11.8% of the two-month amount were exchanged in February. These figures show that the active period for exchange of lats for euros in regional post offices has come to an end and most people who wanted to exchange the cash have already done so.
The free exchange of lats for euros at the post offices in areas where bank services are not available, established by the Cabinet of Ministers, will continue until March 31, 2014.
The greatest activity was observed on the first days of the year, when more than a million lats were exchanged per day. For example, on January 2, the first working day of 2014, nearly 1.2 million lats were exchanged at Latvijas Pasts post offices; on January 3 - 1.9 million; and on January 4 - 1.6 million. On the first working day of February, 121,000 lats were exchanged, while the maximum amount exchanged in one day at Latvijas Pasts post offices in February was 187,000 lats.
The biggest amount of lats was exchanged for euros in the Riga region, followed by post offices in Liepāja, Ogre, Rēzekne, Tukums, Bauska, Cēsis, Daugavpils, Talsi, Jelgava, Aizkraukle and Dobele regions.
The free exchange of lats for euros at the 302 Latvijas Pasts post offices will continue until March 31. These offices have been established with the Cabinet of Ministers regulation on the postal service locations for exchange of lats for euros in places where bank services and ATMs are not available, and they can be identified by special stickers, which can be viewed here.
It is possible to locate the nearest post office for cash exchange by entering an address at Latvijas Pasts website www.eiropasts.lv, which also includes a list of all 302 post offices by region and an interactive map - the list can be viewed here. The cash exchange post offices can also be determined by calling Latvijas Pasts info lines 67008001 or 27008001, and the list is also available in informative brochures in all Latvijas Pasts offices.
In accordance with the provisions of the Euro Implementation Procedure Law, Latvijas Pasts has established the procedure for successful exchange of amounts exceeding LVL 3,000. To exchange an amount in excess of LVL 3,000 at one of the 302 Latvijas Pasts offices, it is necessary to make a reservation at the office where the exchange is desired. The customer must visit the respective post office with an identity document three days in advance and submit an application, specifying the amount to be exchanged. Three days later, upon presenting an identity document, it will be possible to exchange the specified amount at the same post office.
Lats can be exchanged for euros in the form of a money transfer at any Latvijas Pasts office by opening a special account with the Postal Payments System. The opening of an account is free of charge for natural persons at any Latvijas Pasts post office, and it allows making money transfers at any time to a natural or legal person's account both within the Postal Payments System and at a bank - both in Latvia and abroad. The account also allows conveniently paying for rent and utilities, receiving pension or benefits.
About SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a wholly State-owned company with more than 4,200 employees.
Additional information:
Gundega Vārpa,
Head of the External Communications Department
Phone: +371 67608505
E-mail: gundega.varpa@pasts.lv
twitter.com/latvijas_pasts; facebook.com/latvijas.pasts