Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has searched the offices of the municipal administration in Valmiera, LSM reports. KNAB detained Valmiera’s mayor, Janis Baiks, and other officials as part of the criminal investigation. The officials and representatives of several companies are suspected of misappropriating more than EUR 4mn of funds from the European Regional…
The Baltic States have banned motor vehicles with Russian license plates from entering, ERR reports. Earlier, the European Commission issued new guidelines on EU sanctions, according to which cars registered in Russia are not allowed to enter EU territory. The ban applies to the entry of both commercial and private vehicles through the borders with…
Latvia’s State Border Guard (VRS) has asked the government to close the Silene checkpoint on the country’s border with Belarus due to a sudden surge in illegal border crossings in recent weeks, LSM reports. Latvia has two checkpoints on the Belarus border at Silene and Patarnieki. The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), the State Police,…
Lithuania had the highest suicide rate in the EU in 2020, according to Eurostat data, LSM reported. The number of suicides in Lithuania totalled 21.25 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020, which was down from 33.38 in 2011. The suicide rate was 16.87 in Vilnius and the surrounding area. In central and western Lithuania, the suicide…
The volume of electricity generated in Latvia totalled 4,997 GWh in 2022, which was 14.5% less than in 2021, according to the Central Statistical Bureau, LSM reports. Renewable energy sources accounted for 3,783 GWh of the total volume, which was up 1.7% from a year earlier. Hydro power plants generated 2,750 GWh (up 1.6%) and…
Sorting biodegradable waste will be mandatory in Latvia as of 1 January 2024, LSM reports. Currently, only around 25% of Latvian households sort their waste, according to a Norstat survey for waste management company Getlini EKO. The company has opened a website that allows residents to request that biowaste containers be placed at their address….
Latvia’s prime minister-designate, Evika Silina, expects the parliament, the Saeima, to approve her new coalition government on 15 September 2023, LSM reports. Besides the post of prime minister, Silina’s New Unity party is likely to head the ministries of finance, economy, foreign affairs, interior affairs, justice, education, and energy. The Union of Greens and Farmers…
The foreign ministers of the eight Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) are meeting in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 6-7 September 2023, LSM reports. The ministers will discuss regional and energy security, hybrid threats, support for Ukraine, and cooperation in international organisations. Latvia coordinates NB8 cooperation in 2023. Latvia’s focus is on strengthening the rules-based…
Latvia’s Office for Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) has denied residency to around 80 Russian citizens following an assessment by the State Security Service (VDD), LSM reports. PMLP has referred over 13,000 residence permit applications to VDD for review. VDD has so far completed its assessment on around 7,000 of the applicants. Under amendments to…