Estonia’s retail trade turnover declined by 10% in May 2023, according to data from Statistics Estonia, The Baltic Guide reports. The total turnover of retail trade enterprises amounted to EUR 905mn, which was down 10% from the same month last year at constant prices. Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that grocery stores…
Lithuania’s foreign direct investment (FDI) development agency, Invest Lithuania (Investuok Lietuvoje), approved 26 FDI projects in the first half of 2023, LRT reports. The agency reported that 12 new foreign companies have announced investments in Lithuania, and 14 foreign firms already operating in Lithuania plan to expand. The investment projects are expected to create more…
Latvian political scientists Juris Rozenvalds and Ilga Kreituse criticised outgoing president Egils Levits in an interview on DELFI’s podcast with Danuta Dembovska. Professor Rozenvalds of the University of Latvia said that Levits’s foreign policy activity was positive, whereas the president’s achievements in domestic policy were “zero.” Levits promised a lot but failed to deliver, Rozenvalds…
Exiled Russian liberal opposition leader, economist Vladimir Milov, says Russians are not welcome in Latvia and advises Russian emigrants to leave the country, LSM reports. Speaking in an interview with LSM’s Russian service, Milov noted that the pro-Russian position of many Russian-speakers in Latvia leaves an imprint on all Russians. "Even if you are the…
The continuing rise in prices in Estonia is driven by the increase in food prices, ERR reports. In June 2023, the growth of prices slowed down to 8.9% compared to the same month last year, according to preliminary data from Statistics Estonia. Compared to May 2023, prices went up by 0.8%, however. In both annual…
The EU Affairs Committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has approved Estonia’s position on the introduction of digital travel documents in the EU, ERR reports. The committee supports the introduction of digital passports and ID cards. Committee deputy chair Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski of the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) said that digital travel documents would accelerate…
Lithuania remains an EU leader in terms of the market share of contraband cigarettes, according to KPMG’s market research, DELFI reports. The study found that altogether 2.63 billion cigarettes were consumed in Lithuania in 2022, which was 0.2 billion less than in 2021. Contraband cigarettes accounted for 0.59 billion of the total, which was 19.2%…
Hundreds of people took part in the Vilnius Pride march in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on 1 July 2023, LRT reported. The march was organised by the Trans Autonomija association and civil society initiative Demonstruokimes (Let’s Demonstrate). Families with children and foreign guests had come to express their support for the Lithuanian LGBT community. Participants…
The Latvian government is discussing proposed changes to traffic rules for pedestrians, cyclists, and electric scooter drivers, LETA reports. Under the changes, two pedestrians will be allowed to walk side by side along the edge of low-speed roads with no pavement. Roller skating, skateboarding, and use of other similar equipment will only be allowed without…