Lithuania: Thousands protest against PM in Vilnius
Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, against Prime Minister…
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Welcome to Via Baltica, your “information superhighway” for news from the three Baltic tigers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania! Our founder and editor-in-chief is Kerkko Paananen, senior news analyst with more than two decades of expertise in covering current affairs in the Baltic States. We aim to do one thing well: Every day, we will…
Lithuania: Thousands protest against PM in Vilnius
Thousands of people demonstrated in the centre of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, against Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas on 8 July 2025, BNS reported. The protest rally was organised by the Democracy Forum and local activists. The demonstrators demanded answers from Paluckas on his current and past business dealings, an end to the current coalition with…
Latvia: German president pays working visit
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a working visit to Latvia on 8 July 2025, LSM reported. He held talks with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics and Prime Minister Evika Silina. Steinmeier highlighted Germany’s special connection and historical and cultural ties with Latvia. Speaking about bilateral cooperation on security policy, he noted that Latvia was beginning to…
Estonia: Tallinn mayor survives vote of no confidence
Estonian capital Tallinn’s mayor, Jevgeni Ossinovski of the Social Democratic Party (SDE), survived a vote of no confidence in the city council on 8 July 2025, ERR reported. The motion received 33 votes out of 40 needed to oust the mayor. Members of the city’s four-party ruling coalition did not take part in the extraordinary…
Lithuania: Poland reinstates checks on Lithuanian border
Poland has temporarily reinstated internal controls at 13 checkpoints on its border with Lithuania in response to increased secondary irregular migration via Belarus, LRT reports. Both Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) and the Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association (LINAVA) said that there were no traffic jams on the border on the first day of…
Latvia: Riga Airport’s passenger, cargo turnover up in H1/2025
Latvia’s Riga International Airport (RIX) served more than 3.3 million passengers in the first half of 2025, which was 5% more than in the same period of 2024, LSM reported. The number of flights increased by 3% to 30,378. The airport’s cargo turnover rose by 9% to 9,194 tonnes.
Estonia: Fuel market remained stable in 2024
Estonia’s fuel market remained stable in 2024, ERR reported. Olerex retained market leadership with annual sales of EUR 551.6mn, which was largely unchanged from 2023. Motor fuel accounted for 81% of overall turnover. The company’s profit remained stable at EUR 6.7mn. Circle K’s revenue declined to EUR 369.3mn, while its net profit increased to EUR…
Baltic: UN alarmed at exit from mine ban treaty
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed “grave alarm” at the decision of the three Baltic States, Finland, Poland, and Ukraine, to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines, BNS reported. Türk stressed that the international convention, which has over 160 state parties, was a crucial tool in “responding to…
Lithuania: “Your security is our security,” German president says
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Lithuania on the country’s Statehood Day on 6 July 2025, BNS reported. He reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to Lithuania’s defence. Speaking at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, Steinmeier stated: “Your security is our security, your freedom is our freedom.” Germany is deploying a permanent brigade…
Latvia: Almost third still pay cash: report
Almost a third of consumers in Latvia still pay in cash, according to a report from financial technology platform Adyen, Labs of Latvia reports. The data showed that 29% of Latvian consumers prefer to pay in cash. Around a third of those aged 30 and those aged 60 as well as a quarter of 20-year-olds…