Internet connection speeds in Estonia are among the slowest in the entire EU, ERR reports. According to DELFI, Estonia ranks 26th out of all 27 EU member states by the share of households with internet connections of at least 100 mbps. While 76% of houses have high-speed broadband available, only 35.5% of Estonian households are…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has submitted her resignation to President Alar Karis, ERR reports. Kallas will also resign from her post as chairperson of the Estonian Reform Party. Earlier, she was nominated as the EU’s foreign policy chief. Kallas will remain acting head of the government until the new coalition is sworn into office, which…
The Latvian government has approved an updated national energy and climate plan, aimed at meeting the EU’s climate targets by 2030, LSM reports. The plan outlines five key areas: decarbonisation and renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy security, integration with the EU’s internal energy markets, and research, innovation, and competitiveness. The plan includes around 250 measures…
Estonia’s incoming ruling coalition has agreed to implement budget cuts across all ministries, including defence and interior affairs, ERR reports. Margus Tsahkna, chairman of Estonia 200, said that each ministry would likely face a percentage-based cut to salaries and management costs, and that no new jobs would be created. The coalition plans to extend the…
Inflation in Estonia is expected to increase as of autumn 2024, with overall inflation projected to reach 4% by the end of the year, according to some analysts, ERR reports. The analysts attribute the anticipated rise to persistently high energy prices and wage growth driving up service costs. Despite a significant 40% surge in grocery…
Lithuania will begin issuing defence bonds after 1 October 2024, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste announced, BNS reports. The defence bonds will have a maximum interest rate of 2%, which is lower than on savings certificates. The lower rate will ensure that the state borrows for defence at a rate that is cheaper than the market…
Lithuania’s central bank, the Bank of Lithuania, has proposed a comprehensive review of existing tax exemptions, income and wealth taxation, and reducing the VAT gap to increase budget revenue as the population ages, BNS reports. Vaidotas Tuzikas, principal economist at the Bank of Lithuania, noted that Lithuania’s ratio of tax collection to GDP of 4.5%…
The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) attracted 28 foreign investment projects in the first half of 2024, LSM reported. The projects will bring investments of EUR 263mn and create 1,245 new jobs. Altogether 13 of the projects are in Riga, 9 in Kurzeme, 3 in Latgale, 2 in Vidzeme, and 1 in Zemgale….
Consumer prices in Latvia rose by 1.4% in June 2024, compared to the same month in 2023, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSP), LETA reports. Compared to May 2024, consumer prices dropped by 0.1%, however. Average prices in a 12-month period rose by 1.9% when compared to the previous 12…