Lithuania’s state-owned rail freight operator, LTG Cargo, plans to buy electric locomotives for around EUR 100mn to transport cargo between Vilnius and the port of Klaipeda, Baltic News Network reports. The company has launched an international public procurement procedure for the purchase of the electric locomotives, technical maintenance, and supply of spare parts for at…
Latvia is likely to have a new three-party coalition government consisting of Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins’s New Unity and two current opposition parties, the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Progressives, in August 2023, Ilona Berzina writes for Baltic News Network. Previously, Karins had assured that New Unity would not cooperate with ZZS…
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…
Latvia’s New Unity and the combined faction of Movement For and Progressives (PP) will continue talks on possible future cooperation in the Riga City Council on 11 July 2023, Baltic News Network reports. A spokesman for the PP faction said that the group was not interested in snap elections, but in “returning to good management…
The death of a Lithuanian volunteer, Valerijus Polkovnikovas, in Ukraine has caused controversy as it was initially believed to be related to frontline injuries, which later turned out to be untrue, Baltic News Network reports. Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas first expressed condolences and praised the fallen fighter in a social media post but quickly deleted…
Latvia’s opposition Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) is planning to request the dismissal of Agriculture Minister Didzis Šmits, Baltic News Network reports. ZZS press secretary Dace Karklina said that the party supported the position of the Latvian Farmers Union (LZS) that the minister’s inaction and failure to set limits had resulted in uncontrollable increases…
Latvia’s Riga City Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on 5 July 2023, following the resignation of mayor Martins Stakis, LETA reports. The meeting plans to appoint deputy mayor Vilnis Kirsis (New Unity) as the acting mayor of Riga. Deputy mayor Linda Ozola (Code for Riga) supported the appointment of Kirsis as acting mayor until…
Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, leader of the New Unity party, urged his coalition partners to prioritise the national interest and set aside personal ambitions and concerns about their posts, LETA reports. Karins expressed his disappointment that only opposition parties, namely the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Progressives, have attended talks initiated…
Latvia’s Minister of Agriculture, Didzis Šmits, has finally been given access to official secrets, the Agriculture Ministry announced, LETA reports. The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) confirmed that the minister has received a permit to access official secrets. Security agencies took six months to review his application. Šmits was the last minister without access to official…
