Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) has granted student visas to 646 foreigners for the academic year 2024/2025, ERR reports. Of the total, 65 are from China, 53 from the US, and 51 from Azerbaijan. PPA refused visas to 114 foreign students, including 28 from Nigeria, 22 from Pakistan, and 10 from India. The…
A public petition in Latvia is collecting signatures for a ban on the Chinese social media network, TikTok, LSM reports. The author of the initiative, Arturs Babuskins, stated that the social media application was used to “glorify Russian crimes, incite hatred, and divide society.” Moreover, the petition cites data security concerns. Public petitions need at…
China’s Special Representative on European Affairs, Wu Hongbo, has paid a visit to Latvia, LETA reports. Wu met with Dace Melbarde, parliamentary secretary of Latvia’s Foreign Ministry, and Katarina Platere, head of the ministry’s bilateral relations directorate. The officials discussed bilateral dialogue, cooperation in specific sectors and international organisations, and regional security. The Foreign Ministry…
The EU has suspended its dispute proceedings at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China’s trade embargo against Lithuania, Politico reported. A spokesman for the European Commission said that the move was a “procedural step” related to the preparation of written submissions. The case will be closed altogether if the suspension lasts longer than 12…
The representative of the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama, in Northern Europe, Sonam Frasi, and the head of the Tibetan government in exile, Penpa Tsering, visited the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, ERR reports. The Tibetan representatives talked at a hearing on the legal status of Tibet. The event was organised by…
The Lithuanian government has banned military staff, border guards, and police officers from travelling off-duty to Russia, Belarus, and China, BNS reports. The Defence Ministry noted that Russia, Belarus, and China posed threats to Lithuania’s national security, including through espionage. Intelligence authorities in the three countries collect information on Lithuanian citizens with access to classified…
Hong Kong-based investment firm PAG Private Equity will acquire full control of Latvia’s Food Union Group, which produces ice cream and other frozen foods, LSM reports. PAG expects to complete the transaction in the first quarter of 2024. Food Union will continue under present management and business structure. PAG has been an investor in Food…
A delegation of 11 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, will visit Taiwan on 20-27 January 2024, BNS reports. Freedom Party MP Vytautas Mitalas said that the Lithuanian delegation would be the first to meet with Taiwan’s newly elected president, William Lai. Mitalas noted that the visit would help bring Lithuania and Taiwan closer. Meanwhile,…
Finnish authorities announced that the prime suspect in the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia is the Chinese cargo ship, NewNew Polar Bear, YLE reports. The damage to the gas pipeline and Finnish and Swedish telecommunications companies Elisa’s and Arelion’s data cables coincided with the ship’s journey, Reuters reported. The Finnish…