Lithuania: President warns against “courting” Russia
Renewed calls for engagement with Russia do not reflect Europe’s security needs, Lithuanian President Gitanas…
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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 professional expertise in covering and reporting on current affairs in the Baltic States. We aim to do one thing well:…
Lithuania: President warns against “courting” Russia
Renewed calls for engagement with Russia do not reflect Europe’s security needs, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Speaking at the opening of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s spring session in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, Nauseda insisted that Russia has to be “contained, not courted.” He reminded that the future of European security was…
Latvia: Average wage up 4.2% on year in Q1/2026
The average monthly gross wage in Latvia amounted to EUR 1,831 in the first quarter of 2026, which was an increase of EUR 73 (4.2%) from the same period of 2025, according to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. The average wage rose by 4.6% in the public sector and 4.1%…
Estonia: 62% of residents ready to defend country
The overwhelming majority, or 81%, of Estonians believe that their country should always offer armed resistance if attacked by another state, according to an Emor survey for the Ministry of Defence, ERR reports. Around 50% of residents believe that Estonia can defend itself until allied assistance arrives. Also, 62% of residents are willing to take…
Baltic: Latvians, Lithuanians work longer than Estonians
Latvians and Lithuanians work longer hours than Estonians, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. The average working hours for employed persons in both Latvia and Lithuania stood at 38.3 hours per week in 2024, compared to just 36.5 hours in Estonia. The EU average was 36.0 hours. For employees, average working hours were 38.6 hours…
Lithuania: Five EU states target China’s trade abuse
Lithuania has joined France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain in urging the EU to take tougher measures against abusive trade practices by China and other countries, Politico reports. The non-paper noted that some of the EU’s main trading partners were imposing new trade barriers and contributing to industrial overcapacity. The document proposed quicker and easier…
Latvia: GDP up 2.5% in Q1/2026: statistics
Latvia’s GDP totalled EUR 9.9bn at current prices in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. Compared to the same period of 2025, the GDP rose by 2.5% at constant prices, according to seasonally and calendar non-adjusted data. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, the…
Estonia: Incumbent president to declare reelection plans
Estonian President Alar Karis will announce whether he plans to run for a second term in office just after Midsummer Day, which is on 24 June 2026, ERR reports. Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of the national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland, said that the leadership council of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, would not move forward with any…
Lithuania: Social Democrats to decide coalition future
The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) will decide in early June 2026 whether to continue in the current ruling coalition, the party’s chairman, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, announced, BNS reported. Besides LSDP, the coalition includes the far-right populist Dawn of Nemunas (PPNA), the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVZS), and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania…
Latvia: Parliament approves new government
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved a new four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List, LSM reports. Altogether 66 MPs voted for and 25 against the new right-of-centre government. Besides the United List, the new ruling coalition includes the National Alliance, New Unity, and the Union of Greens…