Estonia’s annual GDP growth will reach around 2.5% in 2026, 2027, and 2028, the Bank of Estonia forecasts, Estonian World reports. The country’s economic recovery is driven by increased household consumption following tax changes, higher government spending financed by borrowing, and stronger manufacturing exports. The central bank urged to boost productivity and competitiveness. The biggest…
Housing prices in the Baltic States rose the most in Lithuania in the second quarter of 2026, according to Eurostat data, BNS reported. Compared to the second quarter of 2025, housing prices in Lithuania rose by 14.3%, which was the third-largest increase in the EU. In Latvia, housing prices went up by 11.4% and in…
The chairman of Estonia’s national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland, Urmas Reinsalu, signalled major changes in economic policy after the parliamentary elections in March 2027, ERR reports. He said that the current government had failed to manage state finances and argued that government operating costs should have been cut more. Fatherland’s first task therefore was to fix…
The share of new businesses registered in proportion to the number of active enterprises in Lithuania was the highest in the entire EU in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. Lithuania’s so-called enterprise birth rate stood at 17.5% in 2024, compared to 13.9% in Latvia and 12.1% in Estonia. The EU average was 10.4%….
The Lithuanian government has declared a nationwide emergency and four municipalities have declared local emergencies after a severe storm on 22-23 August 2026, BNS reported. Wind speeds reached up to 33 mps on the seaside and a month’s rain fell in 12 hours in some areas, according to the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT), BNS reported….
Latvia was hit by the strongest storm since 1966 on the night of 22-23 August 2026, LSM reported. Wind speeds exceeded 30 mps in some areas, according to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVGMC), LETA reported. Several injuries and one fatality were recorded. Electricity distributor Sadales Tikls reported that the storm cut power…
Estonia’s population is smaller but richer and healthier now than it was at the restoration of the country’s independence in 1991, according to Statistics Estonia’s data, ERR reports. Estonia’s population totalled 1,360,745 people in the beginning of 2026, which was down 13.2% from 1,567,749 in 1991. Native Estonian-speakers now account for 68.5% of Estonia’s population,…
The EU should cover costs related to confronting Russia, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated, Politico reports. He said that the EU should grant an additional EUR 7bn from its next multi-annual budget to compensate for Latvia’s higher defence spending and loss of trade with Russia. Latvia’s projected defence spending over the seven-year budget period…
Estonia’s non-parliamentary opposition party, Right-Wingers, has re-elected Lavly Perling as its chairwoman, ERR reported. She was the only candidate to the post. In her acceptance speech, Perling said that “painful decisions” were needed for Estonia not to lose the right to make decisions over its state finances. She insisted that state spending be frozen and…
