The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed amendments banning unregistered SIM cards as of 1 September 2027, LSM reports. Under the amendments, users of pay-as-you-go SIM cards will also have to register their personal information with the mobile service provider. The Ministry of Interior noted that unregistered SIM cards are often used in telephone fraud,…
Estonia’s leading agricultural group, Agrone, has completed the acquisition of 100% of shares in Latvia’s largest dairy group, Food Union Management, LSM reports. Agrone acquired the shares from Food Union Luxembourg Holdings II for an undisclosed price. The Food Union group includes Rigas Piena Kombinats and Valmieras Piens, which produce some of Latvia’s best-known fresh…
US defence officials urged the Baltic States to tone down their rhetoric on the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements had undermined European security, Reuters reported. One of the US officials was Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy at the US Defence Department, who insisted on not “poking” Russia. He pointed…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has begun official talks on forming a new government by meeting with leaders of his United List alliance and its current coalition partners, the National Alliance and New Unity, LETA reports. Kulbergs said that the parties had reached a consensus on improving public administration, reviewing ministry functions, and putting public…
Latvia’s national airline, airBaltic, plans to make around 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew members redundant, LSM reports. The company said that the staff cuts were based on the airline’s planned flight volume and route network for 2027. The airline will downsize its fleet to 36 aircraft by the end of 2026, but plans to…
The Latvian government has extended a ban on chartered bus tours to Russia and Belarus for one year until 31 October 2027, LSM reports. The ban applies to all bus operators, regardless of the country of registration of the vehicle. The government pointed to the need to ensure the safety of residents and the risk…
Latvia’s Russian-speakers have a markedly more negative attitude towards the EU and NATO than ethnic Latvians, according to a survey conducted by the Riga-based association, Russian Voice for Latvia, LSM reports. The survey showed that, on a scale of 1 to 10, Latvians rated their attitude towards the EU at 8.4 points, while the average…
Income inequality in Latvia and Lithuania was among the highest in the EU in 2025, according to Eurostat data, LSM reported. Latvia’s Gini coefficient, which measures wealth distribution, stood at 35.6, which was up from 34.2 in 2024 and the second-highest in the entire EU. Lithuania’s Gini coefficient was the EU’s third-highest at 35.5 in…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed urgent amendments to the law regulating the Latvian Public Service Media (LSM), LSM reports. Under the changes, LSM will be required to retain the historical names of its radio and TV channels, Latvijas Radio and Latvijas Televizija (LTV). Also, Latvijas Radio’s and LTV’s news services will have to…
