Estonia’s GDP totalled EUR 10bn in the third quarter of 2024, which was down 0.7% from the same period of 2023, according to data published by Statistics Estonia, The Baltic Guide reported. This was the tenth consecutive quarter of economic decline. The seasonally and working-day adjusted GDP fell by 0.6% over a year but remained…
The defence ministers of the three Baltic States met with a high official of Poland’s Defence Ministry in Latvia’s Daugavpils to discuss the strengthening of regional defence infrastructure, LSM reports. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds stressed the importance of implementing NATO decisions to strengthen the defence of the alliance’s eastern flank, including regional air-defence capabilities….
Estonia has opened a new military base in the village of Juba, near the southern Estonian town of Võru, ERR reports. The Reedo army base has 14 buildings that can accommodate up to 1,000 Estonian and NATO military personnel. The base is a mustering zone where allied troops can prepare for combat. The construction costs…
Latvia’s State Revenue Service (VID) will contact 260 construction companies that are paying atypically low wages to their workers, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, VID director general Baiba Smite-Roke noted that the companies were paying wages that were significantly lower than the average. The aim was to ascertain whether the companies were…
The municipal government of the Latvian capital, Riga, has terminated procurement for the maintenance of the city’s bridges in 2024-2029, LSM reports. After announcing a new tender for the contract, the cheapest offer was 43% more expensive than in the initial tender announced in spring 2024, when both bidders failed to meet the requirements. The…
Lithuania’s state-owned airport operator, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (LTOU), has completed the construction of a new departure terminal at Vilnius International Airport (VIA), BNS reports. The airport will open the new 14,000 m2 terminal for passengers in February 2025. The airport will then be able to handle two times more passengers than at present. The general…
The Estonian government has allocated a record EUR 185mn of EU funds for renovating apartment buildings, ERR reports. Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet said that another EUR 80-90mn would be available for renovations annually over the next three years. The state will thus provide altogether almost EUR 500mn of support through various instruments for apartment building…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has rejected a motion of no confidence submitted by the opposition National Alliance against Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens, LSM reports. Altogether 48 MPs voted against the motion, 43 in favour, and none abstained. The opposition’s criticism was related to problems at state-owned postal company Latvijas Pasts, national air carrier airBaltic,…
Estonia’s Tallinn city government has approved a new budget strategy, under which the city plans to invest EUR 100mn in public transport, including EUR 40mn of EU funds, over 2025-2028, ERR reports. Tallinn mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski said that the city will replace its trolleybus fleet with gas-fuelled buses and trams. Also, the city will build…