Latvia’s security situation has not improved and has become more complex, President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview on TV24, Rinkevics warned that Russia was becoming more unpredictable and that Latvia must be prepared to respond to various kinds of Russian provocations. At the same time, he noted that the threat posed…
The number of Lithuanian emigrants returning home exceeded the number of those who left the country for the sixth consecutive year in 2025, according to data from the State Data Agency (VDA), BNS reported. Altogether 19,310 Lithuanian citizens returned to the country, while 9,940 citizens moved away from Lithuania in 2025. The majority of those…
The mayors of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and the Finnish capital, Helsinki, have approved a twin city cooperation plan for 2026-2029, Baltic News reports. The action plan focuses on growth and innovation, resilience and sustainability, and creative industries and grassroots cooperation. The two cities will cooperate in startup ecosystem development, civil protection, and cultural and…
Latvia’s population totalled 1.845 million people in the beginning of 2026, which was down 15,500 (0.83%) from a year earlier, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. The population declined in all regions. Altogether 69.8% of people lived in cities and 30.2% in rural areas, with 46.0% living in Riga region….
Poverty in Lithuania has increased across the country, particularly in remote regions, LRT reports. Nearly 700,000 people are living below the poverty risk threshold. The average poverty level in rural areas is almost twice as high as in cities. In some municipalities, every third resident is living in poverty. Ugne Uzgale, head of strategy and…
Lithuania’s largest cities are beginning the heating season earlier than usual in 2025 due to colder temperatures and poor weather forecasts, LRT reports. Vilnius switched on central heating on 1 October 2025, while Kaunas will start its heating season on 2 October 2025 and Klaipeda on 6 October 2025, BNS reported. Siauliai and Panevezys will…
Estonia’s population decreased by 2,750 people across all municipalities in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Interior, ERR reports. The population only increased in three counties: Harjumaa, Tartumaa, and Hiiumaa. Estonian capital Tallinn’s population rose by 256 people to 461,602 people, whereas the population of the country’s second-largest city, Tartu, fell by 13…
The city council of Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, has voted in favour of concluding a sister city agreement with the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, ERR reports. The main focus of the cooperation agreement will be to provide help for Ukraine’s reconstruction, civil protection, and crisis management. Both Tartu and Lviv are important university cities…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has proposed establishing a new ministry responsible for regional policy, BNS reports. Speaking at a forum of regional policymakers in Vilnius, Nauseda said that the new ministry would help increase the autonomy of local governments and coordination between different ministries. He suggested that the new ministry could take over functions from…