Latvia: Estonia’s Fibenol to invest EUR 700mn in biorefinery

Estonian biomaterials company Fibenol plans to invest EUR 600-700mn in a biorefinery in Latvia, ERR reports. Fibenol’s pretreatment technology will convert locally-sourced wood into biomaterials that can replace fossil fuel-based chemicals in various industries. The company had initially intended to build the plant in Estonia. Fibenol’s owner, Raul Kirjanen, noted that countries rich in wood…

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Latvia: US ambassador concerned about fight against corruption

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…

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Estonia: Tartu-Riga train not funded in state budget strategy

The Estonian government has failed to include a project to open a regular passenger train connection between Tartu and the Latvian capital, Riga, in its long-term budget plans for 2025-2027, ERR reports. The government points to concerns about a competing Latvian proposal that would entail lower costs but less convenient departure times. Nevertheless, the government…

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