Latvian hospitals ran a budget deficit of EUR 20mn in the first half of 2024, according to the Latvian Hospital Association (LSB), LSM reports. Emergency services alone cost EUR 8mn more than planned. Several regional hospitals reported that they had already used a large part of the state-funded annual quota for medical services in the…
The number of passengers using land and air transport increased in Latvia, while the number of ferry passengers declined in the first half of 2024, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Passengers using land transport totalled 94.7 million in six months, which was up 1.6% from the same period of 2023….
Latvia’s State Digital Development Agency (VDAA), which was formerly called the State Regional Development Agency (VRAA), has picked Jorens Liopa as its new director as of 4 October 2024, LSM reports. Currently, Liopa is director of the department of information systems and technologies at Latvia’s Court Administration and head of the inter-institutional electronic case (e-case)…
People in Estonia are getting married at an ever later age, according to data from Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. In 2023, just 24% of men and 34% of women were under 30 years old when they got married, compared to 60-70% in 1993. Meanwhile, 51% of newly married men and 46% of women were 30-44…
Estonia has officially joined the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) as the organisation’s 24th member state, Estonian World reports. Estonia applied for CERN membership in 2018. Estonia signed the first cooperation agreement with CERN in 1996 and gained associate member status in 2021. As a full member state, Estonia will have voting rights in…
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 Estonia have begun transitioning to education in Estonian under a plan approved by the country’s parliament, the Riigikogu, in December 2022, ERR reports. The transition will proceed gradually, with kindergartens and school grades one and four transitioning to fully Estonian education in 2024. Grades two and five will transition in 2025 and grade…
Thousands of foreign students will continue or begin their studies at universities in Latvia in the academic year 2024/2025, LSM reports. In 2023/2024, Latvian universities had over 10,000 foreign students from more than 100 countries. At the University of Latvia (LU), foreigners account for 7% of all students at the university. The number of foreign…
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…