Lithuanian authorities have developed a plan to protect the country’s cultural heritage in the event of war, BNS reports. The National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) presented the plan to the culture committee of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, in a closed meeting. NKVC director Vilmantas Vitkauskas said that the plan would be tested during a…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has failed to find evidence to support allegations that opposition MP Ainars Slesers had received money from Russian President Vladimir Putin, BNS reports. KNAB started the investigation in October 2022 after Dmitry Muratov, editor of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, alleged that Putin had paid money to several Western…
Long-time Estonian MP, former prime minister Siim Kallas will step down from the parliament, the Riigikogu, ERR reports. Timo Suslov, secretary general of the Estonian Reform Party, said that Kallas, 75, was stepping down due to health reasons. His seat in the Riigikogu will now be taken up by Reform’s Jüri Jaanson. Kallas said that…
Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission (VRK) has completed registration for the parliamentary elections in October 2024, BNS reports. Altogether 1,740 candidates will run for 141 seats in the parliament, the Seimas. Half of the MPs will be elected through party lists that clear the 5% threshold. Altogether 15 party lists have been registered. In addition, 700…
Russian-speaking MPs representing the Latvian opposition party, For Stability, have been fined repeatedly for failure to speak the official state language sufficiently, LSM reports. The State Language Centre (VVC) has issued several administrative fines to MPs representing For Stability for not using Latvian to the extent necessary for the performance of their professional and official…
Estonian MPs visiting China should not have allowed China to pay for their travel costs, Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, stated, ERR reports. Pointing to China’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and opposition to NATO enlargement, Mihkelson said that it would have been better if…
A group of six MPs from Estonia are paying a ten-day visit to China, with local accommodation and transportation costs paid for by Beijing, ERR reports. The delegation consists of members of the Estonia-China parliamentary friendship group and is headed by the group’s chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, deputy speaker of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu. Kivimägi…
A group of Estonian MPs took part in the Central Tibetan Administration’s commemoration of the 64th Tibetan Democracy Day in India’s Dharamshala on 2 September 2024, Tibetan Review reported. The MPs are part of the Tibet Support Group of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, led by Juku-Kalle Raid. The other delegates were Karmen Joller, Ester…
The registration of candidates for elections to the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, ended on 22 July 2024, BNS reports. According to the Central Electoral Commission (VRK), 19 political parties nominated altogether 179 candidates. The list includes three new parties: The Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) of former prime minister Saulius Skvernelis, the Dawn of…