Latvia’s Interior Minister, Janis Dombrava, has called for an internal investigation of State Police chief Armands Ruks, LSM reports. Earlier, an off-duty police officer killed a man in Priekule and another police officer caused a road traffic accident near Aizkraukle, both while severely intoxicated, LETA and LSM reported. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Dombrava…
An interagency commission of the Estonian government has proposed several measures to reduce the consumption of alcohol in the country, ERR reports. The commission has published a framework plan for Estonia’s alcohol policy for 2026-2035. The document calls for raising the alcohol excise tax, shortening retail alcohol sales hours, reducing the number of licensed outlets,…
A third of Latvian car drivers admit driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a new Norstat survey carried out in April 2026, LETA reported. The survey showed that 32% of respondents admitted to drinking and driving sometimes, which was up from 31% a year earlier. As many as 42% (41%) of men and…
Lithuanian teenagers continue to smoke and drink less, according to a new European school survey, LRT reports. Also, cannabis use among minors in Lithuania is now lowest in 20 years. At the same time, the misuse of over-the-counter and prescription medications, especially sedatives and sleeping pills, among teenagers has increased markedly. Also, electronic cigarettes remain…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved amendments raising the excise taxes on alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and sweetened beverages as of 2026, BNS reports. The aim is to reduce the consumption of products that are harmful to the environment and health, LSM reports. The excise duty on strong alcoholic beverages will rise as of…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed in final reading amendments further limiting alcohol sales and advertising as of 1 August 2025, LSM reports. Under the amendments, the sale of alcoholic beverages will be permitted from 10am to 8pm on Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday, thus reducing the availability of…
Estonia’s consumer price index rose by 3.5% in 2024 compared with 2023, according to revised data from Statistics Estonia. Changes in food and non-alcoholic beverage prices had the biggest impact on the index in 2024, accounting for 23.7% of the total rise. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 3.2%, alcoholic beverages and tobacco…
Estonia’s Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman, is visiting India to promote bilateral trade, BNS reports. She is accompanied by a business delegation of several leading Estonian food and beverage companies. Hartman noted that Estonia was already exporting cheese to India, but suggested that there was also potential for exporting other dairy products,…
The finance committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has decided to cancel an additional 5% increase in the excise tax on alcohol that was planned for July 2025, ERR reports. Committee chairwoman Annely Akkermann said that the tax hike would have led to increased cross-border trade and grey market sales, thus reducing state budget…
