Latvia: Parliament begins discussing state budget for 2026

The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved in final reading draft laws accompanying the state budget for 2026, LETA reports. MPs will now begin discussing the draft budget. The government’s budget priorities are national security, support for families with children, and high-quality education. Revenues are planned at EUR 16.1bn and expenditures at EUR 17.9bn. The…

Read More

Estonia: Centre Party, Fatherland sign Tallinn coalition agreement

Estonia’s opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) and Fatherland (Isamaa) have signed a coalition agreement to govern Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, for the next four years, ERR reports. Under the agreement, the posts of mayor and city council chairman will alternate between the two parties, and the parties will have three deputy mayors each. Keskerakond’s Mihhail Kõlvart…

Read More

Latvia: S&P affirms Latvia’s A-grade credit rating

The international credit rating agency, S&P Global, has affirmed Latvia’s sovereign credit rating at A/A-1 with a stable outlook, unchanged from its previous report in May 2025, LSM reports. The agency noted persistent geopolitical uncertainty and elevated regional security risks, but expects Latvia to adhere to prudent fiscal policy and to withstand external headwinds in…

Read More

Latvia: Foreign investor group wants less union protection, overtime pay

The Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) has called for reforming the country’s labour laws, LSM reports. FICIL said that Latvia’s labour market faced “growing structural challenges”, which it said were “driven by demographic decline, a mismatch between labour skills and market needs, and outdated regulations.” The business lobby group called for reforms to “enhance…

Read More