Estonia: European Commission demands big fines for late implementation of EU directives

The European Commission (EC) demands hundreds of thousands of euros in fines from Estonia for late implementation of two EU directives, ERR reports. Estonia has failed to transpose the so-called whistleblower directive into national law by December 2021. Also, the EC has initiated infringement procedures against Estonia over the European Competition Network (ECN+) directive, which…

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Lithuania: Foreign Ministry sends note to Belarus on nuclear plant

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has handed in a diplomatic note to Belarus following the launch of the second power unit of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelAES) in Astravyets, BNS reports. Lithuania urged Belarus not to operate the second unit until all safety problems have been resolved. The Foreign Ministry noted that Belarus had failed to…

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Latvia: Foreign Ministry calls for unified EU approach to Belarusian, Russian travellers

Latvia’s Foreign Ministry plans to ask other Schengen Area countries to consider a unified approach to the entry of Belarusian and Russian citizens to the EU, Baltic News Network reports, citing LSM. Earlier, a group of Russian citizens arrived in Latvia as part of an Azerbaijani football team, using Schengen visas issued by a third…

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Latvia: Sputnik Lithuania editor-in-chief flees Latvia after trial

The editor-in-chief of Russian propaganda agency Sputnik’s Lithuanian edition, Marats Kasems, has fled Latvia, fearing criminal prosecution, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, announced, LETA reports. Riga-based Russian independent news website Meduza reported that Kasems was now in Russia. Meanwhile, his Facebook page indicates that he is currently in the UK. Earlier, Kasems pled…

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Latvia: Foreign Ministry again warns not to travel to Belarus, Russia

Latvia’s Foreign Ministry has repeated its strong recommendation for Latvian citizens not to travel to Belarus and Russia due to the current tense security situation, LSM reports. The ministry warned that travellers may be subjected to provocations. Diana Eglite, press secretary at the Foreign Ministry, urged people to assess risks. In June 2022, a Latvian…

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Latvia: Pres. Rinkevics appoints chief policy advisers, aides

Latvia’s new president, Edgars Rinkevics, has appointed his chief policy advisers and aides, LSM reports. Gunda Reire, parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will become head of the presidential chancellery. The president’s chief legal adviser is Kristine Licis, who has served as Latvia’s representative in international institutions. Edvins Severs will continue as the…

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Estonia: Russia must be pushed back into Russia: Foreign Ministry official

The cost of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine far outweighs the cost of stopping it, Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of Estonia’s Foreign Ministry, stated. Speaking in an interview with Estonian World, Vseviov said that Estonia’s policy was to push Russia back into Russia, adding that every country can do their part to help stop Russian…

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Lithuania: Government approves strategy for Indo-Pacific region

Lithuania’s government has approved an Indo-Pacific strategy to strengthen relations with partner countries in the East Asia region, The Baltic Times reports. The Foreign Ministry said that strategy outlined Lithuania’s key interests and priority areas in the region, with a focus on enhancing the country’s security and economic prosperity. The document recognises the increasing strategic…

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