Companies in the Baltic States issued an all-time record of EUR 6.68bn in bonds in 2025, which was an increase of more than double from 2024, The Baltic Times reported. The volume of local bonds issued totalled EUR 1.37bn, which was up 42% over a year. The number of Baltic companies issuing bonds reached a…
Corruption remained considerably lower in Estonia than in Latvia and Lithuania in 2025, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, ERR reports. Estonia ranked 12th on the index, which was up from 13th place in 2024, BNS reported. Meanwhile, Lithuania came in on 28th (32nd) and Latvia on 37th (38th) place, LSM reported. Estonia scored 76…
Lithuanian officials have been making public statements recently suggesting a possible rapprochement in relations with neighbouring Belarus, only to retract their remarks afterwards, LRT reports. Observers say that the comments may be an attempt to test whether Lithuanian public opinion on Belarus is changing. Officials have suggested opening talks with Belarus and easing sanctions imposed…
State-owned and municipal companies in Latvia involved in building or maintaining critical infrastructure have begun dismissing Russian and Belarusian citizens, LETA reports. Under amendments to the law on national security, Russian and Belarusian citizens may not be employed in jobs with access to critical infrastructure. Latvian capital Riga’s municipal water utility, Rigas Udens, has terminated…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has questioned more than 60 people as part of a criminal investigation into the implementation of the Rail Baltica railway project, LETA reports. The Prosecutor General’s Office initiated criminal proceedings over possible unlawful actions by officials responsible for the project back in December 2024. The officials, including politicians,…
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal urged Latvia to complete its part of the Rail Baltica railway by 2030 as agreed, ERR reported. Michal said that Estonia would “kindly pressure” Latvia with the help of EU funding. Earlier, Maris Dzelme, board chairman of Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (EDZL), which manages the construction project in Latvia, said that…
Lithuania’s Klaipeda State Seaport has begun a procurement process for contractors in the first phase of a project to develop the port’s southern area, The Baltic Times reports. The plan is to begin construction on the southern port gates in 2026. The project involves reclaiming around 100 hectares of new port territory and building 1.3…
A consortium led by US-based JPMorgan will advise on the Latvian state’s buyout of Swedish telecommunications group Telia’s shares in the Latvian telecommunications companies, Tet and Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT), BNS reports. Under the agreement, the consortium, which besides JPMorgan includes A&O Shearman, Deloitte, Hardiman Telecommunications, TEGOS, and WALLESS, will advise Latvia’s state-owned energy group, Latvenergo,…
Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Arunas Jagminas, has resigned amid an investigation into possible corruption, BNS reports. Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) suspects Jagminas of abusing his office to embezzle high-value property in his role as director of a construction company in Silute, BNS reports. In addition, the corruption probe has implicated the director of…