The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has passed a law that bans fur farming as of 2027, BNS reports. Altogether 68 MPs voted for and 25 against the ban, while 15 abstained. The government will provide compensation to fur farmers. The compensation will amount to EUR 3 per animal in 2024, EUR 2 in 2025, and…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has elected MP Daiga Mierina of the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) as its new speaker, LSM reports. She replaces United List’s Edvards Smiltens. Mierina was only elected at the fourth ballot after the two front-runners for the post, Gunars Kutris of ZZS and United List’s Maris Sprindzuks, were…
A cyber attack disrupted ticket sales for Estonia’s passenger train operator, Elron, on 20 September 2023, ERR reports. Ticket sales were disrupted at POS terminals, on trains, and online. Passengers could pay for tickets by cash on the train, however. The disruption was due to repeated DDoS attacks by supporters of Russia against the provider…
The presidents of the Baltic States and Poland met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss the transport of Ukrainian grain through EU ports, ERR reports. Estonian President Alar Karis noted that shipping Ukrainian grain via Baltic ports required cooperation with Poland. Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament,…
Lithuania’s Competition Council has blocked All Media Lithuania’s acquisition of several local radio stations, BNS reports. All Media Lithuania, part of Baltic media group TV3 Group, planned to acquire 100% of shares in three companies that operate radio stations Laluna, Lietus, M-1, M-1 Plius, and Raduga, as well as advertising agency Reklamos Ekspertai. The Competition…
Latvia’s underground gas storage facility in Incukalns has enough gas for the winter season of 2023/2024, Climate and Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis assured, LSM reports. He said that gas transmission company Conexus Baltic Grid’s storage facility was now filled at 88.6% capacity, which is equivalent to over 20.2 TWh. Melnis noted that Latvia’s gas consumption…
Estonia’s central bank, the Bank of Estonia, opposes the government’s plan to replace Estonia’s self-imposed budgetary discipline rules with the EU’s less stringent budget rules, ERR reports. Ülo Kaasik, vice-president of the Bank of Estonia, insisted that changing the rules simply because of an inability to meet them was never a good idea. He warned…
Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jovita Neliupsiene, has met with the Vatican’s envoy to Lithuania, Petar Rajic, to discuss recent remarks by Pope Francis about Russia, BNS reports. Neither side provided details about the meeting, however. Earlier, the pontiff addressed young Catholics in Saint Petersburg, saying that they were “children of great Russia” and “of a…
Latvia’s state-owned Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (EDZL) has awarded a contract to build the Rail Baltica railway in Latvia to the European joint venture, ERB Rail Baltica, for EUR 3.7mn, LSM reports. ERB Rail Baltica was established by France’s Eiffage Génie Civil, Italy’s Rizzani de Eccher, and Poland’s Budimex. EDZL’s procurement commission excluded Türkiye’s IC Ictas…
