Lithuania should not support the ratification of the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement, Lithuania’s Agriculture Minister, Ignas Hofmanas, stated, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview with LRT, Hofmanas insisted that Lithuania should wait for the European Commission’s “detailed explanation” of the free trade agreement. Earlier, the rural affairs committee of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas,…
Lithuania’s new government plans to ease export controls on dual-use goods, LRT reports. Economy Minister Lukas Savickas said that the previous government had imposed the restrictions without consulting businesses first. He insisted that the restrictions must not harm exporters of high-tech products and should only be imposed if companies violate existing sanctions. An industry representative…
Estonian President Alar Karis has rejected an amendment to the law on the use of natural resources, ERR reports. The legislative changes would suspend oil shale mining permits until 2026, allowing time to assess the industry’s compliance with EU climate goals. The president argued that the amendment ran counter to the Constitution and imposed disproportionate…
Estonia’s former president, Arnold Rüütel, died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 96, ERR reports. He will be buried with full state honours. Rüütel was born on the island of Saaremaa in 1928. He was chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in occupied Estonia in 1983-1990, chairman of the Supreme Soviet…
Estonia’s exports of services totalled EUR 3.2bn in the third quarter of 2024, which was up 8% from the same period of 2023, according to data from Statistics Estonia and the Bank of Estonia, ERR reports. Imports of services into Estonia totalled EUR 2.4bn, which was up 2% over a year. Estonia’s trade surplus in…
Latvia and Lithuania refused to accept a new package of EU sanctions against Russia that would have allowed companies to continue doing business in Russia, BNS reports. Three unnamed EU diplomats told Politico that Latvia and Lithuania blocked a clause that included exceptions allowing EU companies to continue importing and exporting sanctioned goods. The clause…
Lithuania’s incoming centre-left government has revealed its draft programme for the next four years, LRT reports. The new coalition plans to focus on welfare, with more child benefits and better accessibility to health care and education. Also, the government may make changes to tax policy, moving towards progressive taxation. The new government plans to reverse…
The draft programme of Lithuania’s incoming government calls China a “growing challenge” for foreign and security policy, BNS reports. The programme sees China’s strategic partnership with Russia and growing influence in Belarus as a threat. The new coalition pledges to work for a united approach towards China with Lithuania’s European and transatlantic partners. Also, the…
The Foreign Ministry of Georgia summoned the Estonian and Lithuanian ambassadors and the Latvian chargé d’affaires to express its concern over plans to impose sanctions on senior Georgian government officials, Agenda.ge reports. The ministry said that the plans amounted to “interference in Georgia’s internal affairs.” Earlier, the Baltic foreign ministers announced sanctions against several Georgian…