Estonia’s population decreased by 2,750 people across all municipalities in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Interior, ERR reports. The population only increased in three counties: Harjumaa, Tartumaa, and Hiiumaa. Estonian capital Tallinn’s population rose by 256 people to 461,602 people, whereas the population of the country’s second-largest city, Tartu, fell by 13…
Lithuania has stepped up monitoring of the NordBalt power cable linking Lithuania and Sweden, Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas announced, ELTA reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Vaiciunas noted that the undersea power interconnection was very important for Lithuania’s electricity market. He stressed that the response to acts of sabotage on critical infrastructure should…
The possible closure of the Baltic Sea should “remain on the table,” Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Rinkevics addressed the issue of protecting critical infrastructure, stressing the need to increase patrols and impose sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet. However, he noted that almost 2,000 vessels travel through…
Estonia is due to receive a US-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and other artillery and air defence systems soon, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced, ERR reports. Estonia will receive an IRIS-T medium-range air defence system, 18 different mobile artillery pieces, around EUR 700mn worth of ammunition, nearly 200 armoured vehicles, and various…
The passenger train operators of the three Baltic States will open an easier connection from Tallinn via Tartu and Riga to Vilnius on 6 January 2025, BNS reports, citing Vooremaa. The new connection harmonises carrier timetables and will include two transfers. The whole journey from Tallinn to Vilnius will take around 10.5 hours in total,…
Last year was Lithuania’s warmest ever recorded, according to data from the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT), BNS reports. The average annual air temperature in Lithuania was 9.5 degrees Celsius in 2024, which was 2.1 degrees higher than the average temperature in 1991-2020. All months except January were warmer in 2024 than the long-term average. The…
Most Latvians think that the quality of life in Latvia became worse in 2024, according to a new SKDS poll for LTV, LSM reports. The survey showed that 30.3% of Latvian residents believed that the quality of life deteriorated slightly in 2024, while 11.7% said that the quality of life worsened significantly compared to 2023….
The Estonian government may allocate EUR 100mn to state-owned energy company Eesti Energia to speed up the construction of a new gas power plant in Narva, ERR reports. Also, the government is discussing the possible differentiation of renewable energy fees for companies and reducing network tariffs or changing electricity taxes for private consumers. The moves…
Lithuania will propose that the three Baltic States build a joint power plant to ensure flexible electricity production and energy security, Lithuanian Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas announced, BNS reports. Speaking on LRT, the minister suggested that the power plant could run on gas. He did not elaborate on the possible technology and location of the…