Estonia should strengthen cooperation with Taiwan and consider opening a Taiwanese representative office (Taipei Mission) in Tallinn, Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, stated, ERR reports. Speaking after a joint visit by the heads of the foreign affairs committees of Baltic parliaments to Taiwan, Mihkelson noted that…
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) announced his intention to end the current government coalition and form a new one, LSM reports. He said that New Unity’s current coalition partners, the National Alliance and the United List, had rejected his proposals for a ministerial reshuffle and revised policy priorities. Karins said that he would…
Latvia’s foreign trade turnover totalled EUR 21.39bn at current prices in the first half of 2023, which was down EUR 963.9mn (4.3%) from the corresponding period of 2022, according to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau, LSM reports. The total value of exports amounted to EUR 9.62bn (down 4.5%) and of imports to EUR…
Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, posted the highest ever revenue and profit in the company’s history in the first half of 2023, LSM reports. The company’s six-month revenue totalled EUR 291mn, which was up 52% from a year earlier. Net profit amounted to EUR 14.6mn, which was up sharply from a net loss of EUR…
Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) has proposed a reshuffle of key ministerial posts in his three-party coalition government, LETA reports. Karins proposed that National Alliance MP Rihards Kols become foreign minister and that the United List take over the Ministry of Economy and New Unity the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development….
Latvia’s government has appointed Major General Andis Dilans as the new Chief of the Joint Staff of the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) as of 1 November 2023, Baltic News Network reports. He will replace Major General Imants Ziedins, who will continue his military career in the Ministry of Defence. Dilans has been serving in…
Latvia’s ruling New Unity party retained its lead in opinion polls in July 2023, according to the latest SKDS survey, LSM reports. New Unity had the support of 12.6% of respondents, which was up from 11.5% in June 2023. The Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) came in second with 8.0% support (7.5%), followed by…
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics called for a review of existing electricity distribution tariffs, LSM reports. Speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, Rinkevics said that the behaviour of the market regulator, the Public Utilities Commission (SPRK), was “unacceptable.” He insisted that the increase in electricity tariffs was “disproportionate.” The new tariffs came into…
Latvia’s average level of consumer prices increased by 6.4% in July 2023, compared to the corresponding period in 2022, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau, LSM reports. Consumer prices were mainly influenced by the rise in food and non-alcoholic beverage prices and of goods and services related to housing, as well as by…