Lithuania has the biggest installed capacity of wind energy in the Baltic States, according to Toms Naburgs, managing director of the Latvian Wind Energy Association (LVEA), LSM reports. Lithuania has 1,400 MW of installed wind turbines, compared to 400 MW in Estonia and just 140 MW in Latvia. Moreover, Lithuania is building and planning even…
Latvia’s ruling New Unity regained its position as the country’s most popular political party in June 2024, according to a SKDS poll, LSM reports. New Unity’s support stood at 10.9%, which was up from 7.2% in April 2024. The opposition National Alliance came in second with 9.9% (8.1%), followed by Latvia First with 7.3% (6.6%)….
The heads of the public broadcasters in the Baltic States and Ukraine signed a memorandum of cooperation during the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Cyprus, LSM reports. The memorandum aims to establish mutual support mechanisms to ensure business continuity in an emergency, such as a war. The agreement provides for the…
House prices in the Baltic States rose the most in Lithuania in the first quarter of 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, house prices increased by 9.9% in Lithuania, 7.8% in Estonia, and 3.7% in Latvia. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, house prices went up…
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence will send over 2,500 combat drones of various types and capabilities to Ukraine, LSM reports. The drones, worth EUR 4mn, were manufactured by seven Latvian companies. The delivery is part of the international drone coalition formed to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (ZSU). Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has allocated EUR…
Latvia’s Riga City Council may revise its property tax policy to address the issue of abandoned and empty shopfronts in the Old Town, LSM reports. Also, the city council has invested EUR 1.5mn in promoting Riga as a tourist destination and will launch a major redevelopment project for two streets in the Old Town to…
Latvia’s state-owned postal services provider, Latvijas Pasts, has reversed its decision to close down more than half of its post offices, LETA reports. The company will only close down 12 post offices in places where the number of post offices exceeds the requirements on universal postal services. Latvijas Pasts plans to relocate post offices in…
Defence spending as a percentage of GDP in the Baltic States is among the highest in NATO, according to the Tallinn-based International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS), LSM reports. The study shows that Estonia’s overall defence expenditure amounts to 3.43% of GDP, which is third-highest in NATO after Poland (4.12%) and the US (3.72%)….
A major loophole in EU sanctions against Russia is being exploited via Belarus, evidenced by a luxury car traffic jam at the Latvia-Belarus border, LSM reports. Although luxury car exports to Russia are banned, they are allowed to Belarus, resulting in a 50-fold increase in car exports to Belarus via Latvia. This suggests that many…