The Lithuanian fashion retailer, Apranga Group, posted a retail turnover of EUR 147.6mn (including VAT) in the first half of 2023, which was up 15.6% from the same period of 2022, GlobeNewswire reports. Sales in Lithuania amounted to EUR 89.7mn (up 14.8%), in Latvia to EUR 35.0mn (up 14.5%), and in Estonia to EUR 22.9mn…
Latvia’s President, Edgars Rinkevics, met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Riga, LETA reports. The two officials discussed the NATO summit in Vilnius, support for Ukraine, the situation in Belarus and Russia, and bilateral economic cooperation. Rinkevics expressed Latvia’s wish for Canada to expand its military presence in Latvia. Canada leads the NATO enhanced…
Canada’s first ambassador to Lithuania, Jeanette Sautner, has taken office on 10 July 2023 after presenting her diplomatic credentials to President Gitanas Nauseda, BNS reports. Nauseda said that the opening of the Canadian embassy in Vilnius would open new opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations. He thanked Canada for its contribution to strengthening the security…
Lithuania and Poland need to increase their cooperation to speed up the synchronisation of the Baltic electricity grids with the European system, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Also, the two countries needed to accelerate the implementation of the Via Baltica highway, the Augustow-Alytus road, and the Rail Baltica railway projects, Nauseda said. Speaking…
The speakers of national parliaments of the Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine will meet in Latvia’s capital, Riga, on 9-10 July 2023, LSM reports. The speakers will discuss political and practical assistance to Ukraine, including support for the country’s membership of the EU and NATO. The speakers plan to adopt a joint statement at the…
Following the introduction of stricter entry procedures for Russian citizens in the Baltic States in September 2022, over 4,000 Russians have been denied entry, Rustamas Liubajevas, commander of Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT), announced, LRT reports. He said that Estonia had turned away 1,850, Lithuania 1,278, and Latvia 890 Russian citizens. Liubajevas revealed that…
Baltic and Polish culture ministers will sign a joint declaration of support for the restoration of Ukraine’s cultural heritage, Baltic News Network reports. The ministers will sign the declaration on the final day of the Latvian Song and Dance Festival at the Latvian Museum of Architecture (LAM) in Riga on 9 July 2023. The joint…
Estonia’s Defence Minister, Hanno Pevkur, voiced satisfaction at the details of NATO’s new defence plans for the Baltic region, ERR reports. He said that there were no outstanding points of contention regarding the plans ahead of the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Discussions continued over the wording of the introductory section of the…
NATO’s new defence plans for the Baltic region are “very good and detailed,” Latvia’s Defence Minister, Inara Murniece, stated, The Baltic Times reports. The new plans provide for allied defence of the region from day one of a possible attack. Murniece noted that the plans were drawn up 18 months ahead of schedule. However, executing…