An overwhelming majority of Latvians are worried about their life in retirement, according to a Norstat poll for insurance company ERGO, LSM reports. The survey showed that 68% of Latvian residents were anxious about retirement, including 74% of women and 62% of men. The main causes for concern were lack of money (67%), health issues…
The volume of freight carried by road and air increased in Latvia in the first three quarters of 2025, while the volume of freight carried by rail and sea decreased, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. The volume of road freight totalled 59.2 million tonnes, which was 2% more than…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved amendments raising the excise taxes on alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and sweetened beverages as of 2026, BNS reports. The aim is to reduce the consumption of products that are harmful to the environment and health, LSM reports. The excise duty on strong alcoholic beverages will rise as of…
The number of passengers using public transport in Latvia continued to rise in the first three quarters of 2025, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Land transport carried a total of 143.4 million passengers in nine months, which was 1.1% more than a year earlier. The number of passengers using…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved in final reading the state budget for 2026, LSM reports. Altogether 52 MPs voted for and 42 against the budget bill. This is the current coalition government’s third budget. The government foresees annual revenues of EUR 16.1bn, which would be EUR 944.6mn more than in 2025. Budget expenditures…
The presidents of the three Baltic States met in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 4 December 2025 for their annual pre-Christmas meeting, LSM and BNS reported. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said that key issues discussed included defence and security, border protection, and support for Ukraine. He emphasised that “if you look at the map, the…
Latvia’s industrial production output increased by 8.8% in October 2025, compared to the same period of 2024, according to calendar-adjusted data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Output in electricity and gas supply rose by 10.1% and in manufacturing by 9.5%, but fell by 16.1% in mining and quarrying. Compared to September 2025,…
Lithuania recorded the largest increase in net electricity generation in the EU over 2013-2023, according to data from Eurostat, LSM reports. Lithuania’s net electricity production rose by 28.2% in the ten-year period. Latvia recorded a slight increase in electricity generation as well. Meanwhile, Estonia’s electricity generation decreased by as much as 58.5% over the same…
Latvia’s state real estate management company, Valsts Nekustamie Ipasumi (VNI), plans to complete the construction of a fence along the full stretch of the country’s border with Russia by the end of 2025, LSM reports. Only around 6 kilometres of the fence remains to be built in areas of difficult terrain along the border. VNI…