Latvians and Lithuanians work longer hours than Estonians, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. The average working hours for employed persons in both Latvia and Lithuania stood at 38.3 hours per week in 2024, compared to just 36.5 hours in Estonia. The EU average was 36.0 hours. For employees, average working hours were 38.6 hours…
Baltic transport ministers have discussed Lithuania’s proposal to stop seasonal time changes, LSM reports. Latvia’s outgoing Transport Minister, Atis Svinka, said that the Baltic ministers conceptually supported a transition to permanent summer time. He stressed that the Baltic States needed to have a unified position on the question, pointing to the example of the Estonian-Latvian…
The wealth of Estonian households has increased significantly, while wealth inequality has remained relatively stable over 2013-2024, according to the Bank of Estonia and Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. The household finance and consumption surveys showed that the median household had net wealth of EUR 103,300 in 2024, which was up more than double from EUR…
Latvia’s population has dropped at the highest rate in the entire EU over the last 20 years, according to Eurostat, LSM reported. Latvia’s population declined by 17% in 2005-2025. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s population decreased by 14%, whereas Estonia’s population only declined by 1% over the same period. The population totalled 2.89 million people in Lithuania, 1.86…
Lithuanian parties are discussing the possibility of signing a long-term national accord on demographic policy, following a proposal from Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), LRT reported. Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the opposition Homeland Union, welcomed the proposal, while Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, leader of the opposition Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS),…
Passenger traffic by land and sea transport increased in Latvia in 2025, according to the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. The number of passengers on land transport totalled 192.4 million in 2025, which was up 0.6% from 191.2 million in 2024. The number of passengers on regular bus lines amounted to 97.6 million (down…
Lithuania’s parliamentary committee on culture has approved amendments to the controversial draft law governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), LRT reported. The committee approved a new management board, an expanded governing council, shorter four-year council terms, and tighter eligibility requirements for council member candidates. The committee dropped proposals to let…
The Baltic States are likely to see a more than 2% decline in GDP per year due to poor mental health over 2025-2050, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ERR reports. The projected drop in GDP in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will be the highest of all…
Around 63,000 children will start kindergarten in Estonia in 2026, which is down from just under 67,000 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education, ERR reports. The number of children in kindergarten has gone down across the country due to falling birth rates, which has made it easier for parents to place their children…