Estonia may need to raise its defence spending to 5% of GDP to implement NATO’s new defence plans, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stated, ERR reports. He said that Estonia clearly needed to acquire more capabilities, including air defence systems and equipment to deal with chemical and biological weapons. The money needed would amount to EUR…
The number of Lithuanians travelling to Belarus has dropped by five times over two years, according to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), BNS reports. In August 2024, Lithuanian citizens made 10,000 trips to Belarus, which was down from 33,000 a year earlier and 50,000 two years ago. Belarus enabled visa-free travel for Lithuanian citizens…
The Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) have received MP7 A2 submachine guns from German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, according to the Ministry of Defence, Army Recognition reports. The contract, signed in October 2023, is valued at EUR 1.56mn over a period of 72 months. The ministry selected the weapons for their tactical and technical features,…
UAE-based messaging platform Telegram has deleted several channels and groups, including ones containing child pornography, following requests from Latvian State Police, LETA reports. However, Telegram has failed to provide information about the creators of the channels. The State Police noted that criminals in Latvia often use Telegram for planning and to sell illegal substances and…
Schools in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, have received multiple bomb threats in Russian at the start of the new school year on 2 September 2024, BNS reports. Police have so far received 26 reports of such threats sent to schools by email. None of the threats have proved to be real. Hundreds of bomb threats…
Police in Estonia have confiscated a copy of a controversial monument in Lihula commemorating Estonians who fought against the Soviet Union in World War II, ERR reports. The new monument was erected for an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the removal of the original monument in 2004. Police removed the new monument for…
Schools in Latvia received bomb threats in Russian at the start of the new school year on 2 September 2024, LETA reports, citing TV3. Armands Ruks, chief of the State Police of Latvia, said that more than 200 emails with bomb threats were sent. He said that schools in all counties received such messages. While…
Ukrainians without temporary protection can now only work in Lithuania if they have a valid residence permit, BNS reports. Previously, Ukrainian nationals with visas were exempt from having to obtain a work permit in Lithuania. The exemption will continue to apply to highly qualified workers. Ukrainian refugees can start working immediately after submitting an application…
Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has granted student visas to 646 foreigners for the academic year 2024/2025, ERR reports. Of the total, 65 are from China, 53 from the US, and 51 from Azerbaijan. PPA refused visas to 114 foreign students, including 28 from Nigeria, 22 from Pakistan, and 10 from India. The…
