The US ambassador to Latvia, Christopher Robinson, expressed concern about the potential for backsliding in Latvia’s fight against corruption, Baltic News Network reported. Speaking in an interview with TVNET, Robinson specifically highlighted Aivars Lembergs, the sanctioned former mayor of Ventspils, as a symbol of the dangers of returning to oligarchic influence. He said that the…
A court in Latvia’s capital, Riga, has arrested three suspects in an arson attack on the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, LETA reports. The two men and woman arrested all have police records. Investigators suspect that the attack was motivated by hatred for the Latvian state and freedom, potentially influenced by Russia. The investigation…
Estonia’s ruling coalition has abandoned a plan to change the current renewable energy fee, which would have raised EUR 60mn annually and shifted costs from consumers to the state, ERR reported. The senior party in the coalition government, the Estonian Reform Party, rejected the plan, citing concerns about the plan’s financial viability. The changes were…
The EstLink 2 undersea electricity cable connecting Estonia and Finland malfunctioned in late January 2024 due to an internal short circuit, transmission system operator Elering announced, ERR reports. The short circuit may have been caused by the cable’s steep angle where it transitions from land to sea. Experts believe the fault resulted from either geological…
The foreign ministers of Estonia and Ukraine, Margus Tsahkna and Dmytro Kuleba, called for using Russia’s frozen assets, valued at over USD 300bn, to help defend and rebuild Ukraine, ERR reported. Writing in a joint article published by the Estonian Foreign Ministry, the two ministers insisted that doing so would be both legal and just,…
Sweden joining NATO strengthens Baltic security by allowing for better planning and information sharing among members, according to Estonian experts, ERR reports. Sweden’s membership will make NATO’s defence activities more effective and deter Russia in the Baltic region, the experts believe. Sweden brings strong naval and air capabilities, early warning systems, and a significant defence…
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk assured that Poland’s solidarity with Lithuania in case of an attack was “unquestionable,” BNS reported. Earlier, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte raised concerns about Polish commitment to defending Lithuania, despite NATO obligations. Simonyte explained that she was referring to “legal restrictions” on Poland sending troops abroad in case of war….
The number of border violations on Latvia’s eastern border with Belarus is increasing amid warmer weather, State Border Guard (VRS) chief Guntis Pujats announced, LSM reports. He noted that the situation on the border remained calm in January and early February 2024, but that the number of attempts to cross the border illegally had picked up…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that the likely nomination of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as NATO’s new secretary general raised the question of whether the alliance has first-rank and second-rank members, Politico reported. She pointed out that Rutte would be the fourth NATO chief from the Netherlands. “Are we equals or are we…
