Latvia's Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis poses for the media with the euro banknote during an official event in Riga January 1, 2014. Latvia joins the euro zone on Wednesday, banking on its experience of self-imposed austerity to bring it prosperity in a currency union where other economies have floundered.The Baltic country of just two million people was set to become the bloc's 18th member at midnight, taking a step further out of the shadow of neighbouring Russia a decade after joining the European Union and NATO. REUTERS Ints Kalnins (LATVIA - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS)