The EU should ban the import and transit of grain from Russia and Belarus, Latvia’s Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens stated, LSM reports. He urged the Baltic States to adopt a joint position on the issue, whereas Latvia’s state-owned rail operator, LDz Cargo, insisted on the need for a common EU stance. When Estonia’s state-owned rail…
Retailers in Estonia expect declining sales in the first half of 2024 amid lower consumer confidence, ERR reports. Many consumers plan to go shopping in neighbouring countries due to the rise in the VAT rate from 20% to 22% as of 1 January 2024, according to a Norstat poll for Citadele bank, BNS reports. The…
Passenger rail service from Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, to the Latvian capital, Riga, could begin in the second half of 2025, according to Estonian passenger rail operator Elron, LETA reports. Latvia’s passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), has proposed opening a rail link from Riga to Tartu in spring 2025. Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens,…
Estonia’s former prime minister and former chairman of the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), Jüri Ratas, expects more people to leave the opposition party, ERR reports. He said that the party’s new chairman, Tallinn’s Russian-speaking mayor Mihhail Kõlvart, has failed to ensure party unity, noting that most of those who have quit are Estonian-speakers. Earlier, two…
Lithuania will purchase multifunctional artillery radar systems from the Dutch defence contractor, Thales Nederland, for EUR 126.7mn, BNS reports. The first Thales GM200 MM/C radar systems are due to be delivered by 2026. The agreement includes cooperation in multifunctional radar support between Lithuania and the Netherlands, with potential involvement of the Lithuanian defence industry in…
Latvia will deport at least 1,167 Russian citizens who failed to comply with the immigration law and apply for permanent residence permits, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) told LETA. Of the total, 789 are over 60 years old. Those subject to expulsion will have 30 days to leave Latvia if they fail…
Estonia’s Ministry of Justice is considering granting the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) the power to order ISPs to block websites involved in copyright infringement, ERR reports. The ministry argues that existing legal means are insufficient for protecting copyright on digital platforms. The proposed solution involves DNS and IP-based blocking, allowing ISPs to…
The share of renewable sources in total energy consumption in the Baltic States was highest in Latvia in 2022, LSM reports. Eurostat data showed that 43.3% of Latvia’s gross final energy consumption came from renewable sources in 2022, which was up from 42.1% in 2021. Estonia came in second with 38.5% (37.4%), followed by Lithuania…
Six European gas transmission system operators, including Gasgrid Finland, Estonia’s Elering, Latvia’s Conexus Baltic Grid, Lithuania’s Amber Grid, Poland’s Gaz-System, and Germany’s ONTRAS, have signed a contract with AFRY Management Consulting for a pre-feasibility study on the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, The Baltic Times reports. The project aims to develop cross-border hydrogen transmission infrastructure from Finland…