The Lithuanian government has decided to restructure the country’s Refugee Reception Centre (PPC) into the Reception and Integration Agency (PIA) as of 2025, BNS reports. The new agency will operate under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The agency will ensure temporary accommodation and other assistance for foreign migrants and asylum applicants.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has proposed establishing a new ministry responsible for regional policy, BNS reports. Speaking at a forum of regional policymakers in Vilnius, Nauseda said that the new ministry would help increase the autonomy of local governments and coordination between different ministries. He suggested that the new ministry could take over functions from…
The Estonian government has agreed on switching to need-based social benefits in 2028, Education Minister Kristina Kallas announced, BNS reports. She argued that the state and taxpayers could no longer afford distributing equal support to everyone, and that doing so was not even necessary. Better data would allow the state to provide better personalised services, Kallas…
The number of job vacancies in Latvia was 23,900 in the second quarter of 2024, which was 1,400 (5.6%) fewer than in the same period of 2023, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LETA reports. The number of vacancies amounted to 12,800 in the private sector (down 10.7%) and to 11,100 in…
The number of job vacancies listed in Estonia totalled 9,908 in the second quarter of 2024, which was 11% less than a year earlier, according to data from Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. The total number of vacant and occupied jobs amounted to just over 609,000, with vacancies accounting for 1.6% of all employment positions. The…
The National Audit Office of Estonia (Riigikontroll) found significant errors in the 2023 state budget act despite the overall accuracy of the state’s financial accounts, ERR reports. Key issues included incorrect recording of transactions in the budgets of the ministries of economy, regional affairs, and agriculture, leading to a discrepancy of EUR 122mn. Additionally, the…
Estonia’s three-party coalition of the Estonian Reform Party, Social Democratic Party (SDE), and Estonia 200 has published its new coalition agreement, ERR reports. Under the agreement, the coalition pledges to cut the budget deficit to 3% of GDP in 2025 and 2026, and to reduce it further in 2027. The new government will raise most…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has submitted her resignation to President Alar Karis, ERR reports. Kallas will also resign from her post as chairperson of the Estonian Reform Party. Earlier, she was nominated as the EU’s foreign policy chief. Kallas will remain acting head of the government until the new coalition is sworn into office, which…
Estonia’s incoming ruling coalition has agreed to implement budget cuts across all ministries, including defence and interior affairs, ERR reports. Margus Tsahkna, chairman of Estonia 200, said that each ministry would likely face a percentage-based cut to salaries and management costs, and that no new jobs would be created. The coalition plans to extend the…