Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, plans to remove Soviet symbols from city-owned buildings by the end of 2024, ERR reports. The Estonian parliament passed corresponding legislation in 2023. However, President Alar Karis has refused to sign the legislation due to “legal ambiguities.” Deputy mayor Madle Lippus notes that changes to protected buildings require approval from the National Heritage…
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…
EU leaders have appointed Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the next High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, BNS reports. Kallas expressed her commitment to enhancing EU unity and addressing geopolitical challenges such as the war in Ukraine. She aims to strengthen the EU’s global partnerships and work closely with…
The free world must not fear its own strength, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas insisted, BNS reported. Speaking at a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Kallas pointed out that the free world was stronger than Russia and had the resources, economic power, and knowledge to help Ukraine win the war against the…
An agreement on the automatic recognition of degrees of higher education between the Benelux and Baltic countries came into effect as of 1 May 2024, BNS reports. The agreement facilitates academic mobility and promotes university cooperation between the six countries. The agreement attests that the quality of national higher education systems is reliable.
The prime ministers of the three Baltic States will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on 6 May 2024 in the Latvian capital, Riga, LETA reports. The meeting will focus on security and defence, EU affairs, support for Ukraine, economic cooperation, and regional energy and transport projects. According to Latvia’s State Chancellery, Baltic leaders have…
Estonia’s GDP dropped by 2.1% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period of 2023, according to Statistics Estonia’s flash estimate, Baltic News Network reported. The GDP decline thus slowed down, the preliminary data showed. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the seasonally and working-day adjusted GDP remained unchanged.
The presidents of the three Baltic States issued a joint statement on the 20th anniversary of the accession of their countries to the EU in 2004, BNS reported. The presidents stressed the importance of EU membership for the well-being, security, and economic growth of the three Baltic countries. Also, the presidents called for opening EU…
Estonian bus operator Lux Express has opened a night-time bus service between Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, and the Latvian capital, Riga, BNS reports. The daily bus departs from Tartu at 11:15pm and arrives at Riga International Airport at 4:20am. In addition, Lux Express has a morning and an evening departure from Tartu to Riga, and…
