"Haynes had roots in the South, " Balz said.

WSJ: Journalist and author Haynes Johnson dies at 81

Last week, while in Riga, Burkhard Balz, a German member of the European Parliament, said he expects Latvia to be admitted to the euro zone, but sees a low level of support among Latvians for the move.

WSJ: Latvian Vote Reflects Ambiguity Over Euro