Lithuania will seek support from the European Union and the United States to pressure the Belarusian regime into stopping smuggler balloons from flying into Lithuanian airspace, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced, LRT reports. She said that the Lithuanian government was prepared to impose national sanctions or reclose the border with Belarus if diplomatic efforts with…
Latvia’s SmartLynx Airlines has filed for insolvency, LETA reports. CEO Edvinas Demenius explained that SmartLynx had intended to implement a restructuring plan by 15 December 2025. However, “false and misleading information from various stakeholders” had led to the loss of aircraft and customer contracts, he said. SmartLynx has liabilities totalling around EUR 238mn, of which EUR…
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal protest with Belarus over continued “hybrid attacks” and seizure of property of EU citizens and companies, BNS reports. The ministry demanded that Belarus exercise effective control of its airspace and return “unlawfully detained” property, referring to incursions of smuggler balloons into Lithuania and the detention of Lithuanian trucks in…
The Lithuanian government has declared a nationwide emergency situation in response to repeated incursions of smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, BNS reports. At the same time, the government proposed that the parliament, the Seimas, grant the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) extended powers to assist law enforcement for three months. The balloon incursions…
Lithuania has asked the European Commission (EC) to help release Lithuanian trucks detained in neighbouring Belarus, BNS reports. Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and Transport Minister Juras Taminskas urged the EC to draw up a coherent action plan to support EU haulage companies. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said that around 280 Lithuanian trucks were stuck in…
The number of passengers using public transport in Latvia continued to rise in the first three quarters of 2025, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Land transport carried a total of 143.4 million passengers in nine months, which was 1.1% more than a year earlier. The number of passengers using…
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry has proposed declaring a nationwide state-level emergency in response to an increased incursion of smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, BNS reports. The government is expected to decide on the proposal next week. According to the Interior Ministry, altogether 599 smuggler balloons and 197 drones have entered Lithuanian airspace so…
The presidents of the three Baltic States met in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 4 December 2025 for their annual pre-Christmas meeting, LSM and BNS reported. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said that key issues discussed included defence and security, border protection, and support for Ukraine. He emphasised that “if you look at the map, the…
Recent Belarusian actions against Lithuania “could be recognised as terrorism,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene stated, BNS reports. She was referring to the launch of smuggler balloons from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace and the detention of Lithuanian trucks in Belarus. The actions endangered aviation security and violated international law, Ruginiene noted, saying that she was…