An influenza epidemic has begun in Latvia, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) announced on 8 December 2025, LETA reports. According to data from the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL), the share of positive samples for influenza has risen sharply to 18.1%, which exceeds the epidemic threshold of 10%. SPKC reminded that vaccination…
The supervisory council of Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), has dismissed its long-term chairman, Rein Veidemann, ERR reports. Earlier, Veidemann had criticised an interview of a same-sex couple with two children that was aired on ETV, saying that the programme ran counter to the values of the majority of Estonians. ERR’s supervisory council elected…
Thousands of people gathered outside the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, on 9 December 2025 to protest against planned changes to the management of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Location data from mobile operators showed that around 40,000 people took part in the demonstration, DELFI reported. The protesters accused…
The number of job vacancies in Latvia totalled 19,200 in the third quarter of 2025, which was 3,700 (16.1%) less than in the same period of 2024, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. The number of vacancies amounted to 10,800 in the private sector and to 8,400 in the public…
The new chairman of the city council of Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, Tõnis Lukas, has declined to join the city council faction of his own party, Fatherland (Isamaa), ERR reports. Lukas refused to be member of the same coalition as social media influencer Kris Kärner, who has made disparaging and threatening comments about Lukas and…
Baltic financial group Luminor has appointed Karl von Rohr as the new chairman of the supervisory councils of Luminor Holding and Luminor Bank as of 1 January 2026, LSM reports. He replaces Nils Melngailis, who served in the positions since the bank was established in 2017. Prior to his appointment, von Rohr was management board member…
The city council of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, has elected Peeter Raudsepp of the national conservative Fatherland (Isamaa) party as the city’s new mayor, BNS reports. Prior to his election, Raudsepp was director of the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI), ERR reports. He will serve as mayor for two years, after which the mayorship…
The Lithuanian government has declared a nationwide emergency situation in response to repeated incursions of smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, BNS reports. At the same time, the government proposed that the parliament, the Seimas, grant the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) extended powers to assist law enforcement for three months. The balloon incursions…
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze is paying a working visit to the United States on 8-9 December 2025, LSM reports. She will meet with representatives of the US presidential administration and members of the US Congress. In addition, Braze will hold discussions at several US foreign policy think tanks, the Foreign Ministry announced.