Around 50 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, have proposed holding a popular referendum on redefining the concept of family in the country’s constitution, LRT reports. The MPs argue that the Constitutional Court exceeded its authority when ruling that the concept of family was gender-neutral and not exclusive to married couples, and that limiting…
Latvia’s Competition Council concluded seven high-priority cases on violations of and non-compliance with competition law in 2025, LSM reports. Total fines issued in the cases amounted to EUR 2.5mn, according to the council’s annual report. The public benefit increased by around 25% over a year, the Competition Council estimated. The biggest sanctions included a EUR…
The Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional law, the Venice Commission, is warning Lithuania against legislation that could appear to target the current top management of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. The commission recommended that planned new rules on dismissing LRT’s director general only apply to office…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has passed amendments that will make it easier to bring skilled and qualified foreign labour into the country, ERR reports. Temporary residence permits for work will be issued under more favourable conditions in sectors deemed suffering from labour shortage, and the maximum number of permits in those sectors will be…
The mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, has launched a signature campaign for legislation that would oblige foreigners living temporarily in the country to learn Lithuanian, BNS reports. Under the mayor’s proposal, non-EU nationals would have to show proof of at least A2-level proficiency in Lithuanian when renewing their temporary residence permits after…
The Estonian government has approved legislative amendments to improve the country’s defence against so-called “little green men” and hybdrid attacks, ERR reports. Specifically, the bill would allow the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) to engage in law enforcement activity and NATO allied personnel to participate in countering hybrid threats and ensuring border security under EDF command….
Over 10,000 people in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, protested outside the parliament, the Seimas, on 8 April 2026 against proposed changes to legislation governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reported. The demonstration was organised by the Association of Professional Journalists (ZPA). Nevertheless, Seimas speaker Juozas Olekas insisted that the…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed a law on the establishment of a new national concert hall, the Riga Philharmonic, LETA reports. The law designates the concert hall with the status of an object of national interest. The plan is to build the concert hall by reconstructing and expanding the Riga Congress Centre. The…
The Lithuanian government is pressing ahead with legislative proposals that would impose political control over the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), LRT reports. Earlier, opposition MPs as well as representatives of the Lithuanian Association of Professional Journalists (ZPA) and LRT staff withdrew in protest from a parliamentary working group set up…
