Estonia’s Minister of Justice, Kalle Laanet (Reform), has proposed that citizens of “aggressor states” be deprived of the right to vote in local elections in Estonia, ERR reports. The ban would apply to nearly 69,000 Russian and Belarusian citizens who are permanent residents in Estonia. The voter turnout in Estonia’s previous municipal elections in October…
Estonian media reported that the Office of the President has made the promulgation of legislation passed by the parliament, the Riigikogu, contingent on the government agreeing to allocate additional funding, ERR reports. An anonymous minister told Postimees that Peep Jahilo, head of the Office of the President, requested an additional EUR 360,000 of funding from government…
The European Commission (EC) has criticised Estonia and Lithuania for failing to transpose an EU directive on the rights of child suspects properly into national legislation, BNS reports. The EC opened an infringement procedure by sending a formal notice for failure to transpose the EU directive on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused of…
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…