The prime ministers of the three Baltic States will meet in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 12 December 2025, BNS reports. The meeting concludes Latvia’s presidency of the Baltic Council of Ministers. Estonia will take over the presidency in 2026. The prime ministers will discuss regional security, including support for Ukraine and strengthening Europe’s eastern…
Latvia’s foreign trade turnover totalled EUR 35.82bn at current prices in the first ten months of 2025, which was up 5.9% from the same period of 2024, according to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Latvia’s exports of goods amounted to EUR 16.4bn (up 4.3%) and imports to EUR 19.41bn (up…
The Estonian government’s job approval continued to be dismal in November 2025, according to the latest Norstat poll for the Institute for Societal Research (YI), ERR reports. Only 28% of eligible voters think that the government is doing a good job, while 66% think that the government is doing its job poorly. Prime Minister Kristen…
Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) in the Baltic States was highest in Estonia in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. Estonia’s R&D spending stood at 1.99% of GDP, which was up from 1.83% in 2023. The indicator stood at 1.04% (1.04%) in Lithuania and at 0.92% (0.82%) in Latvia. The EU…
Estonia’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, Jaap Ora, has resigned after an uproar over Estonia’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine, ERR reports. Earlier, Eesti Ekspress reported that during the state visit of Estonian President Alar Karis to Kazakhstan in November 2025, Ora had advised that the president tone down his remarks on Ukraine so as not…
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…
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…