Latvia’s state-owned railway company, Latvijas Dzelzcels (LDz), carried 7.746mn tonnes of rail cargo in the first half of 2023, which was 36.7% less than in the same period of 2022, LETA reports. The volume of international freight amounted to 7.041mn tonnes (down 39.2%), while domestic freight doubled to 705,000 tonnes. LDz board chairman Rinalds Plavnieks…
Latvia’s Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) has released a list of Latvian companies that continue to export to Russia and Belarus, LETA reports. Economy Minister Ilze Indriksone instructed CSB to publish the list, which includes nearly 1,000 companies. The most common goods exported from Latvia to Russia include food products, alcoholic beverages, chemicals, medical products, machinery,…
Latvia’s Riga City Council has elected New Unity’s Vilnis Kirsis as the capital city’s new mayor, LETA reports. Kirsis named street renovation, construction of new housing, and investment in education as his policy priorities. Kirsis served as acting mayor after the resignation of Martins Stakis, who represented the Progressives and Movement For, in early July…
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….
One person died and eight were injured during a severe thunderstorm in Latvia on 7 August 2023, LETA reports. Wind speeds reached up to 33 m/s in areas. The Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) had to provide assistance to people who were injured by falling trees and heavy hail. The storm and lightning caused major damage…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has carried out probes at the state-owned postal company, Latvijas Pasts, LETA reports. KNAB refused to provide further information about the ongoing investigation. The agency stressed that there were no criminal proceedings involving employees of Latvijas Pasts currently. Marcis Vilcans, board chairman of Latvijas Pasts, said that the…
Family doctors in Latvia are considering going on strike in autumn 2023, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Ainis Dzalbs, board member of the Latvian Association of Rural Family Physicians (LLGAA), insisted that the lack of budget funding made it impossible to provide proper patient care. He noted that patient queues currently exceeded…
Belarusian security services continue their malign activities on the border with Latvia, Guntis Pujats, head of the Latvian State Border Guard (VRS), announced, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, Pujats said that Belarusian security services were actively involved in damaging Latvia’s border infrastructure to enable the illegal entry of migrants into the country….
The director general of Latvia’s State Revenue Service (VID), Ieva Jaunzeme, has informed the Ministry of Finance that she will not seek another term in office, LETA reports. Jaunzeme will continue to serve as head of VID until the end of her term on 12 February 2024, provided that VID manages to complete tasks set…