The Estonian Reform Party has seen an increase in voter support, while support for its coalition partner, Estonia 200, continues to fall, according to the latest weekly Norstat poll published on 5 July 2023, ERR reports. The survey indicates that support for Reform currently stands at 27.4% of voters, followed by the Conservative People’s Party…
Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, leader of the New Unity party, urged his coalition partners to prioritise the national interest and set aside personal ambitions and concerns about their posts, LETA reports. Karins expressed his disappointment that only opposition parties, namely the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Progressives, have attended talks initiated…
Latvia’s Minister of Agriculture, Didzis Šmits, has finally been given access to official secrets, the Agriculture Ministry announced, LETA reports. The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) confirmed that the minister has received a permit to access official secrets. Security agencies took six months to review his application. Šmits was the last minister without access to official…
The Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees (LIZDA) will ask Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins to adopt urgent solutions to implement the agreement reached with the Ministry of Education and Science after a recent teacher strike, LETA reports. Earlier, LIZDA demanded that Education Minister Anda Caksa resign, which the minister refused to do, insisting…
The Latvian government is discussing proposed changes to traffic rules for pedestrians, cyclists, and electric scooter drivers, LETA reports. Under the changes, two pedestrians will be allowed to walk side by side along the edge of low-speed roads with no pavement. Roller skating, skateboarding, and use of other similar equipment will only be allowed without…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has given its initial support for the government’s tax reform package, with 72 MPs voting in favour, 31 against, and 22 abstaining, Baltic News Network reports. The package will now proceed to parliamentary committees for further examination and will return to the main hall in autumn 2023. A total of…
The Lithuanian government has approved the Social Security and Labour Ministry’s proposal to raise the minimum monthly wage by 10% to EUR 924 before tax as of 2024, Baltic News Network reports. Pending parliamentary approval, the minimum hourly wage will also rise from the current EUR 5.14 before tax to EUR 5.65. Social Security and…
Lithuania has submitted a request to the European Commission, seeking a loan of over EUR 1.8bn from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) for investments, Baltic News Network reports. Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste said that around EUR 1bn would be allocated for loans to businesses and industry, while an additional EUR 700mn would be…