Estonia was the world’s largest exporter of prefabricated wooden houses in 2023, ELTA reports, citing Lithuanian business news portal Verslo Zinios. Estonia had a global market share of 21.5%, followed by Lithuania with 9.3% and Poland with 8%. Estonia’s exports of wooden buildings totalled EUR 390mn in 2023. Lithuania came in second with EUR 164mn, which…
Estonia’s state-owned aviation group, Nordic Aviation Group (Nordica), posted an unaudited net loss of EUR 19.146mn in 2023, which was down from a profit of EUR 1.514mn in 2022, ERR reports. The company has failed to submit an audited annual report to the commercial register on time. Nordica’s annual revenue totalled EUR 107.266mn, which was…
The victory of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in regional elections was part of a European trend, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, BNS reports. He attributed AfD’s success to the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation, Russian disinformation, and other factors, and “maybe sometimes a lack of strategic leadership.” Landsbergis noted…
The Latvian government will have to relinquish its controlling stake in the national air carrier, airBaltic, “sooner or later,” Prime Minister Evika Silina said, LETA reports. The government wants airBaltic to operate more on market principles, she stated. If airBaltic’s planned IPO fails, the government will make a “separate decision” on the company’s future, Silina…
Estonia was “very disappointed” that Mongolia decided to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said, BNS reports. He reminded that all parties to the Rome Statute are obligated to comply with the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Putin. The fact that the Mongolian government decided to…
Türkiye’s application to join the BRICS group undermines trust in the country, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis stated, BNS reports. He pointed to questions on how to reconcile positions within NATO between countries that support Ukraine and those that are pro-Russian. “All this undermines trust,” he added. Meanwhile, Asta Skaisgiryte, chief foreign policy adviser to…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the nomination of former prime minister, MEP Andrius Kubilius for Lithuania’s EU commissioner, BNS reports. Altogether 70 MPs voted in favour and 24 against, while 15 abstained. Kubilius said that Lithuania should seek portfolios related to defence, security, and EU enlargement in the new European Commission. He noted…
The Estonian-Finnish undersea power cable, EstLink 2, will resume operations after repairs on 4 September 2024, BNS reports. The power interconnection was shut down due to a fault in late January 2024. The repairs involved replacing around 300 metres of cable and connection joints. Shore reinforcement and surface works and removal of temporary structures will…
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna urged Western countries to lift all restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons in the war with Russia, ERR reports. “Ukraine cannot fight with its hands tied behind its back and yet win this war,” he stated. Also, he called for caution over various “peace initiatives” to end the war,…