The Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) has called for reforming the country’s labour laws, LSM reports. FICIL said that Latvia’s labour market faced “growing structural challenges”, which it said were “driven by demographic decline, a mismatch between labour skills and market needs, and outdated regulations.” The business lobby group called for reforms to “enhance…
Economic confidence and sense of security among Estonian residents increased in September 2025, according to a new Turu-Uuringute survey for the government, ERR reports. The survey showed that 67% of Estonian residents were satisfied with life, which was up from 64% in June 2025. Meanwhile, 48% (58%) felt economic uncertainty and 29% (34%) felt the…
The most loved brand in the Baltic States is the Swedish banking group, Swedbank, according to the Baltic Brand Forum 2025 survey, The Baltic Times reports. Lithuanian supermarket chain Maxima ranked second, followed by Estonia’s state-owned logistics group, Omniva, and German supermarket chain Lidl. The top four ranking remained unchanged from 2024. US technology company…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved in final reading a law on setting up anti-mobility infrastructure along the country’s eastern border, LSM reports. Altogether 75 MPs voted in favour and 12 against the law. Latvia will build anti-tank ditches, obstacles, storage facilities, and other technical solutions over an area of around 2,000 hectares in…
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte clashed over the defence alliance’s response to Russia’s recent airspace violations, ERR reports, citing Fox News. After Russian fighter jets made a brazen incursion into Estonian airspace on 19 September 2025, Estonia requested consultations under Article 4 of the NATO treaty. Given that NATO…
The first stage of a planned European “drone wall” could be completed by 2028, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Speaking ahead of a European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, Nauseda suggested allocating funds for the project’s second stage in the EU’s next multiannual budget. He pointed out that recent events had shown that…
Several hundred people protested outside the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, on 2 October 2025 against a proposal for Latvia to withdraw from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, LSM reports. The convention aims to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. MPs from opposition parties and the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS),…
Estonian fashion retailer Baltika Group has ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy, BNS reports. The group will lay off all of its 120 employees in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Baltika pointed to a prolonged difficult financial situation and unfavourable market conditions in the Baltic States. The group’s parent company, European Lingerie Group (ELG), will continue to…
Lithuania has extended the closure of part of the country’s airspace along the border with Belarus until 1 December 2025, the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) announced, BNS reports. LGP pointed to continued security concerns and the need for new legislation to guide military operations. Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said that extending the airspace closure was…