Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, has submitted the draft state budget for 2024 to the parliament, the Riigikogu, for debate, ERR reports. Budget revenues will amount to EUR 16.79bn, expenses to EUR 17.67bn, and investments to EUR 0.82bn. The budget deficit is estimated at EUR 1.19bn or 2.8% of GDP, and the government therefore plans…
The Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council have agreed on new priorities of cooperation at their annual summit in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, BNS reports. In the 2024-2026 period, the two parliamentary cooperation organisations will focus on supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and on defence against cyber threats and disinformation. Also, the eight parliaments will promote democracy…
The Estonian government has agreed on the state budget for 2024, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced, ERR reports. Under the agreement, the government will introduce no new taxes in addition to ones implemented earlier. The government will not impose a new tax on commercial banks, which will instead pay more taxable dividends. Also, the government…
Teachers in Lithuania are staging a two-hour warning strike on 15 September 2023, BNS reports. The Lithuanian Education Employees Trade Union (LSDPS) expects around 5,000 teachers and other staff in 228 educational establishments to join the strike. The union demands a 20% increase in wages as of September 2023 and a further 30% rise from…
The number of job vacancies in Estonia totalled 11,079 in the second quarter of 2023, which was 17% fewer than in the same period of 2022, according to Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. Altogether 53,849 people were hired and 51,500 people left their jobs in the second quarter of 2023. Labour turnover decreased by 9% over…
The Lithuanian government seeks to have more direct flights to Germany, BNS reports. Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said that the more frequent flight connections would help German troops stationed in Lithuania. Also, Lithuania plans to open kindergartens and schools for the children of German soldiers, Anusauskas added. Lithuania’s defence chief, General Valdemaras Rupsys, said that…
Latvia’s Riga City Council has elected New Unity’s Vilnis Kirsis as the capital city’s new mayor, LETA reports. Kirsis named street renovation, construction of new housing, and investment in education as his policy priorities. Kirsis served as acting mayor after the resignation of Martins Stakis, who represented the Progressives and Movement For, in early July…
The chairmen of the foreign affairs committees of the Baltic parliaments — Marko Mihkelson from Estonia, Rihards Kols from Latvia, and Zygimantas Pavilionis from Lithuania — will pay a joint visit to Taiwan, ERR reports. They will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Legislative Yuan president You Si-kun, Prime Minister Chen Chien-jen, Foreign Minister Joseph…
Latvian municipalities will be able to organise their school networks in accordance with the financing available, Education Minister Anda Caksa stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Caksa said that any school closures were for the municipalities to decide. Under the Education Ministry’s proposal, schools in cities will have to have at least…