Latvia’s state budget for 2027 will implement a policy of austerity, control, and reform, Finance Minister Maris Kucinskis announced, LSM reports. Speaking in an interview with Latvijas Radio, Kucinskis said that the government would freeze budget spending and public sector wages. At the same time, the government did not intend to raise taxes in 2027,…
The recycling rate for packaging waste in the Baltic States was highest in Estonia in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reported. The recycling rate stood at 69.9% in Estonia, which was up from 68.5% in 2023. The rate was 66.9% (60.7%) in Lithuania and 66.3% (63.1%) in Latvia. The average rate in the EU…
The international credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings, has affirmed Latvia’s long-term issuer default rating at A- with a stable outlook, LSM reports. The agency noted Latvia’s “credible policy framework” and lower government debt than rating peers. However, Latvia had a higher exposure to geopolitical risks, smaller economy, lower GDP per capita, and weaker external finances…
Several public institutions and agencies in the Baltic States took their websites offline on 21 October 2026 due to global critical security vulnerabilities in PHP-based applications. In Estonia, the Ministry of Education and Science shut down access to the online learning platform, Moodle, temporarily, ERR reported. Also, the National Archives of Estonia closed or limited…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has announced that his United List will begin talks on forming a new government with the party’s current coalition partners, the National Alliance and New Unity, LSM reports. United List will meet with leaders of the two other parties on 28 October 2026. The three parties have a combined 58…
The Baltic States have among the highest suicide rates in the EU, according to Eurostat, LSM reports. The data show that the number of suicides in Lithuania was 562 in 2023, which was up from 532 in 2022. Suicides totalled 270 (231) in Latvia and 199 (195) in Estonia. Lithuania’s standardised death rate for intentional…
Latvia had around 413,000 seniors aged 65 years and older in the beginning of 2026, which was 25,000 more than in 2016, according to the Central Statistical Bureau’s (CSP) data, LSM reported. Seniors now account for 22.4% of Latvia’s total population, which is up from 19.9% ten years ago. Latvia has the EU’s largest gender…
Estonians are markedly more active physically than Latvians and Lithuanians, according to Eurostat statistics, LSM reports. The data showed that 73.2% of Estonians aged 16 years or older engaged in physical activity outside work at least once a week in 2025, which was down from 82.4% in 2022. By comparison, a mere 52.3% (47.7%) of…
The number of nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments in the Baltic States rose in 2025, according to Eurostat, LSM reports. However, the increase was due to foreign tourists, the data showed. Nights spent at hotels and other short-term accommodation establishments in Lithuania totalled 9.436 million in 2025, which was up 9.2% from 8.640 million…
