According to unofficial reports out of Latvia, the Baltic country is considering launching an official consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission regarding a possible stabilization package. The Latvian newspaper Diena, citing unnamed government officials, reported Nov. 20 that the IMF consultations might not include a loan, but rather a standby agreement that could be tapped in case the situation in Latvia worsens. As the global financial crisis sweeps through Europe, the region receiving particular attention is the so-called "emerging Europe" — Central Europe, the Baltic states and the Balkans. Of these countries, the Baltics — Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — are among the most vulnerable to the current crisis.