Local governments and educational institutions in Latvia are concerned about the financial benefits of the government’s planned school network reform, Diena reports. Several questions remain unresolved, including the quantitative criteria to decide on keeping or reorganising schools. The Ministry of Education and Science estimates that 120 schools are likely to be affected by the changes,…
Estonian pellet producer Graanul Invest reported sales of EUR 590mn in 2022, which was up 30% from 2021, ERR reports. The group’s annual net profit rose by 28% to EUR 111mn. The group produced 2.3 million tonnes of pellets in 2022, which was down from 2.5 million tonnes a year earlier. Due to raw material…
Estonia has succeeded Canada as the co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which is a partnership of countries advocating for media freedom and safety of journalists worldwide, ERR reports. The chair of the coalition rotates among member states on a biannual basis. Estonia joined MFC in September 2019. Estonia ranks in the top 10…
The Estonian company, Biometaan, has signed an agreement with Finland’s Convion to start selling mobile power plants running on fuel cells in the Baltic States, ERR reports. The solid oxide fuel cell power plant will generate energy from biomethane produced from cow slurry at the Mangeni PM dairy farm in the village of Koksvere in…
Lithuanian beer producer Kalnapilio-Tauro Grupe (Kalnapilis-Tauras Group) suffered a loss of EUR 726,000 in 2022, primarily due to the war in Ukraine and other factors, Baltic News Network reports. In 2021, the group made a net profit of EUR 1.6mn. The group’s annual revenue totalled EUR 81mn in 2022, which was up 15% from EUR…
A new procedure has come into force in Lithuania in cases of domestic violence as of July 2023, LNK reports. If domestic violence is reported, police can order the suspect to leave the house immediately for 15 days. There are an average of 55,000 reports of domestic violence a year, and 86% of the victims…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has given its initial support for the government’s tax reform package, with 72 MPs voting in favour, 31 against, and 22 abstaining, Baltic News Network reports. The package will now proceed to parliamentary committees for further examination and will return to the main hall in autumn 2023. A total of…
Latvia’s State Police have initiated proceedings against the Ventspils-based oil product terminal operator, Ventbunkers, seizing documents, LTV’s Panorama programme reports. Aivars Gobins, board chairman of Ventbunkers, said that the police action was related to a case that has been under investigation for five years and the statute of limitations for which was coming to an…
Russia’s Justice Ministry has declared Alexey Gorpinchenko, St Petersburg correspondent for Estonian public broadcaster ERR’s Russian service, a "foreign agent," ERR reports. The ministry accuses Gorpinchenko of "denouncing" Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, disseminating "untruthful" information about the war, and attracting international support. The "foreign agent" designation carries a variety of restrictions and potential fines.