Estonia’s Ministry of Climate has proposed ending universal electricity service contracts automatically, ERR reports. Under the proposal, customers with universal service would be switched automatically to state-owned energy group Eesti Energia’s general service if the average market price of electricity remains below the universal service price for three consecutive months. Eesti Energia’s general service would…
A group of MPs from Latvia’s ruling New Unity party has proposed amendments that would introduce harsher penalties for exceeding speed limits in road traffic, Baltic News Network reports. Under the proposal, the fine for driving 60 km/h or more above the speed limit would rise from the current EUR 240-460 to EUR 720-960 and…
Latvia’s Health Ministry has proposed amendments to further restrict the availability of alcohol, LSM reports. The amendments would reduce the sales hours of alcoholic beverages, ban sales of alcohol at petrol stations, and raise the legal drinking age to 20 years. The ministry hopes that the amendments will reduce alcohol consumption, illness, injuries, and mortality….
Lithuania plans to sign a letter of intent to buy Leopard tanks from Germany, Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas announced, BNS reports. He noted that the acquisition would require sustainable financial sources. The minister said that the Leopard met the operational requirements best. Lithuania will acquire the tanks to create an army division. The Lithuanian parliament,…
Estonia’s Ministry of Interior will propose banning the use of non-personalised prepaid SIM cards, ERR reports. Under the proposal, anyone would still be able to buy a prepaid SIM card, but would have to provide personal details to activate the card. Veiko Kommusaar, undersecretary for internal security at the Ministry of Interior, noted that Estonia…
Lithuania’s President, Gitanas Nauseda, will propose stricter penalties for crimes against the state, BNS reports. The proposed amendments would introduce life sentences for organising or taking part in a coup. Currently, the maximum penalty for such an offense is 20 years in prison. Also, the president’s proposed legislation would introduce longer prison terms for being…
An overwhelming majority of Lithuanians support the establishment of a register of sex offenders, according to a new Baltijos Tyrimai poll for LRT. The survey showed that 91% of Lithuanians supported the establishment of such a register. Just 4% disagreed, while 5% did not have an opinion. In May 2023, a group of MPs proposed…
The Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE) has no intention to make any concessions and will continue to obstruct the current coalition government’s work in the parliament, the Riigikogu, in autumn 2023, EKRE chairman Martin Helme stated, ERR reports. Earlier, the coalition suggested that opposition parties withdraw questions and legislative proposals so as not to…
Latvia’s Ministry of Justice plans to propose amendments that would abolish conditional prison sentences, replacing them with probation, LSM reports. Anda Smiltena, deputy secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice, said that the State Probation Service’s (VPD) task would be to influence the thinking of the offender and correct their behaviour. The measures would…