Lithuania will enforce an EU ban on the entry of vehicles registered in Belarus as of 18 July 2024, LRT reports. The new ban applies to all passenger cars, regardless of the nationality of the owner or driver. Belarusian citizens with valid visas or residence permits can bring their own cars into Lithuania for personal…
Vehicles registered in Belarus are banned from entering Latvia as of 16 July 2024, the State Revenue Service (VID) announced, LSM reports. The ban applies to automotive vehicles as well as trailers and semi-trailers. Vehicles registered in Belarus that are already in Latvia will have to be reregistered. Non-compliant vehicles can be confiscated and transferred…
The European Commission will allocate an additional EUR 1.2bn of EU funds for the construction of the Rail Baltica railway, the project’s coordinator, RB Rail, announced, LSM reports. Of the sum, around EUR 370mn will go to Estonia, EUR 346mn to Latvia, and EUR 458mn to Lithuania. Together with national co-financing, total available funding will…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has confirmed the ruling Homeland Union’s Ingrida Simonyte as prime minister in a vote of confidence, BNS reports. Altogether 69 MPs voted for Simonyte, while 30 voted against and 25 abstained. The prime minister will now have to agree with the president on ministerial appointments. In Lithuania, the government resigns…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has hinted at the possible replacement of a few government ministers, expressing particular dissatisfaction with the performance of the ministers of health and agriculture, BNS reports. Nauseda has had preliminary discussions with Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte about the possible changes, emphasising the necessity of action despite the approaching parliamentary elections. The…
Estonian President Alar Karis has tasked Kristen Michal of the Estonian Reform Party with forming a new coalition government, ERR reports. Michal now has 14 days to form a government. He expects a new coalition agreement to be ready by the end of this week. The coalition will consist of the same three parties as…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved legislation tightening the supervision of virtual currency companies, BNS reports. Under the amendments, crypto asset companies will have to obtain licences from the Bank of Lithuania. The amendments implement the European Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA). Market participants have until June 2025 to be licensed. The central…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda was inaugurated as president for a second term on 12 July 2024, LRT reports. In his inaugural address, Nauseda pledged to strengthen national security, defend Lithuanian interests in foreign policy, continue supporting Ukraine, and foster ties with the US. He called for raising Lithuania’s defence budget to 4% of GDP by…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has submitted her resignation to President Alar Karis, ERR reports. Kallas will also resign from her post as chairperson of the Estonian Reform Party. Earlier, she was nominated as the EU’s foreign policy chief. Kallas will remain acting head of the government until the new coalition is sworn into office, which…