Lithuania should “slightly de-escalate” tensions with Belarus, Deividas Matulionis, national security adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, stated, LRT reported. Earlier, Belarus released 123 political prisoners in exchange for the US lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilisers. Also, Belarus pledged to stop the incursion of smuggler balloons into Lithuanian airspace. Lithuania has halted transit shipments…
The Estonian opposition party, Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), has reelected Mihhail Kõlvart as the party’s chairman, ERR reports. He ran unopposed at the party congress in Paide. Also, the congress elected a 14-member board. In his opening speech, Kõlvart noted that the Centre Party had proven wrong those who had said that it was finished,…
The ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) has commissioned a Norstat poll to gauge voter opinion on its coalition with far-right Dawn of Nemunas (PPNA), LRT reports. The survey showed that 56% of voters had a negative opinion of LSDP’s decision to invite PPNA into government. Also, 53% thought that the current coalition should…
Estonia’s national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland (Isamaa), continued as the country’s most popular political party in December 2025, according to Kantar Emor’s latest poll, ERR reports. Support for Fatherland stood at 24%, which was down from 26% in January 2025. Left-of-centre opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) came second with 21% (13%), followed by opposition Social Democratic…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading amendments to make it easier to dismiss the director general of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Altogether 76 MPs voted for, 50 against, and none abstained. Almost all MPs from the ruling three-party coalition backed the bill. The…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has rejected the opposition Estonian Centre Party’s (Keskerakond) proposal to lower the VAT on basic food products to 9%, ERR reports. No MPs voted against the proposal, but 42 MPs, mostly from the ruling coalition, abstained. Under the proposal, the VAT on specific categories of food, including vegetables and dairy,…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the state budget for 2026 with 80 votes for, 39 against, and 7 abstentions, BNS reports. Under the budget, annual revenues, including EU funds, will amount to EUR 21.07bn and expenditures to EUR 27.51bn. The government’s net borrowing limit has been increased to EUR 7.79bn, ELTA reports. The…
Lithuania will seek support from the European Union and the United States to pressure the Belarusian regime into stopping smuggler balloons from flying into Lithuanian airspace, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced, LRT reports. She said that the Lithuanian government was prepared to impose national sanctions or reclose the border with Belarus if diplomatic efforts with…
The Estonian government has proposed amendments that would extend the period of mandatory military service to 12 months for all conscripts as of 2027, ERR reports. Currently, those who start their military service in the beginning of the year serve for 11 months, while those who start in autumn serve for 8 months. The Ministry…