Housing prices in the Baltic States rose the fastest in Lithuania in the third quarter of 2023, according to Eurostat data, BNS reports. Housing prices rose by 8.7% over a year in Lithuania, 3.8% in Estonia, and 3.2% in Latvia. Compared to the second quarter of 2023, housing prices rose by 2.4% in Lithuania, but…
Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court has upheld a lower court decision not to grant asylum to Belarusian activist Volha Karach, BNS reports. Earlier, the Lithuanian Migration Department (LMD) rejected Karach’s asylum application on national security grounds, citing a report from the State Security Department (VSD), which pointed to the applicant’s links to Russian intelligence. Nevertheless, LMD…
The number of cars newly registered in Latvia totalled 18,000 in 2023, LSM reported. The most popular brands in the new car segment were Toyota (3,900), Skoda (2,350), and Volkswagen (2,000). In the second-hand car market, the most popular brands were BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi. The data showed that SUVs and 4×4 cars were the…
The number of new cars sold in Estonia totalled 22,820 in 2023, which was 11.7% more than in 2022, according to data from the Union of Estonian Car Sales and Service Enterprises (AMTEL), ERR reports. Sales were still short of the figure in 2019, when the number of new cars sold totalled 26,589. Hybrid vehicles…
There are not enough votes at the moment in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliament’s national security and defence committee, stated, BNS reports. Under existing legislation, Belarusians face fewer limitations than Russian citizens. President Gitanas Nauseda has demanded equal restrictions on Belarusians and Russians,…
Latvia supports prohibiting the import of Russian grain but will not impose a unilateral ban, parties in the coalition government announced, LSM reports. Instead, Latvia calls on EU member states to agree on a common position on the issue. At the same time, the government is instructing ministries to assess the impact of such a…
Estonia may deport permanent residents who choose to take Russian citizenship, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas confirmed, ERR reports, citing Postimees. Earlier, Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets said that stateless persons who took Russian passports were likely to have their Estonian residence permits revoked and face deportation. Kallas argued that an individual who chooses to obtain Russian…
Lithuania’s state-owned airport operator, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), plans to invest another EUR 250mn in 2025-2052, according to a study drawn up by Dutch aviation consultancy NACO, BNS reports. Under the plan, LTOU would invest around EUR 180mn in developing Vilnius International Airport, EUR 50mn in Kaunas Airport, and EUR 20mn in Palanga…
The Latvian government will discuss the listing of state-owned companies and municipal enterprises on the stock exchange in January 2024, LSM reports. The first company to be listed will be national air carrier airBaltic. Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens said that the list would include other companies as well. Enterprises that may be listed include telecommunications…