Latvia’s Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Welfare have proposed reducing the amount that employers pay for sick leave, LSM reports. Under the proposal, the first day of sick leave would remain unpaid, while days 2-3 would be compensated at 60% of the salary and days 4-8 at 70%. From the 9th day onwards, the…
Electrifying the public transport system in Estonia’s Harjumaa county would require EUR 2bn in grid investments, Tallinn deputy mayor Kristjan Järvan stated, ERR reports. He said that the project would include major upgrades to both the distribution and transmission networks to support the increased use of electric vehicles. Electrifying Tallinn’s bus fleet alone would cost…
Unemployment in the Baltic States was highest in Lithuania in May 2024, according to Eurostat data, LETA reports. The unemployment rate stood at 7.7% in Lithuania, 7.4% in Estonia, and 6.7% in Latvia. The EU average was 6%.
Estonia’s consumer price index rose by 2.8% on year in June 2024, according to preliminary data from Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. Compared to May 2024, consumer prices rose by 0.5%. In May 2024, the annual inflation rate stood at 2.9%. In 2023, annual inflation was 9.%.
Latvia’s gross energy consumption totalled 185 PJ in 2023, which was 1 % less than in 2022, according to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Final energy consumption totalled 170 PJ, which was 0.9 % less than in 2022. Transport used 52 PJ (30.6%) of energy, followed by households with 45 PJ…
The Latvian government has approved a draft transport energy bill that obliges fuel suppliers to increase the share of renewable energy in their energy portfolio, LETA reports. The bill may lead to a rise in fuel prices, according to a survey of fuel traders. The Ministry of Climate and Energy notes that the transport sector…
Estonia’s Minister of Climate, Kristen Michal, will replace Kaja Kallas as prime minister and chairman of the Estonian Reform Party, ERR reports. Kallas is due to resign after the NATO summit in Washington. The government will then be dissolved, and Michal will open talks on a coalition agreement. The current three-party coalition is likely to…
The minimum gross monthly wage in Lithuania may exceed EUR 1,000 in 2025, Social Security and Labour Minister Monika Navickiene forecast, BNS reported. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Navickiene assured that the minimum wage would definitely surpass the poverty risk threshold. Lithuania’s Tripartite Council is still in talks on the minimum wage hike…
Latvia’s tax revenue totalled EUR 3.325bn in the first quarter of 2024, which was EUR 40.7mn (1.2%) less than planned, according to Finance Ministry data, LETA reports. Tax revenue was EUR 109.2mn (3.4%) higher than in the first quarter of 2023, however. General state budget tax revenues totalled EUR 3.126bn, which was 1.1% short of…
