After a marathon debate, the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, approved in second reading amendments to legislation governing the appointment and dismissal of the head of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reported. Unexpectedly, MPs approved a satirical provision that would involve an opposition MP’s cat in the process of removing…
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, criticised President Alar Karis who suggested helping Hungary pay fines for cancelling oil contracts with Russia, ERR reported. Speaking in an interview with Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Karis urged Hungary to end the contracts. Tsahkna insisted that it would be “inconceivable” for states that had freed themselves of dependence on Russian…
Journalists and cultural workers in Lithuania have begun a three-day protest outside the parliament, the Seimas, against legislation that would facilitate dismissing the director of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Also, inflatable “air dancer” dolls were set up outside the office of President Gitanas Nauseda, urging him to…
The European Commission (EC) warned that the current funding model for Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), may violate the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), ERR reports. Giuseppe Abbamonte, deputy director-general of the EC’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology in charge of media policy, stated that Estonia’s protection of the independence of public…
The Estonian opposition party, Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), has reelected Mihhail Kõlvart as the party’s chairman, ERR reports. He ran unopposed at the party congress in Paide. Also, the congress elected a 14-member board. In his opening speech, Kõlvart noted that the Centre Party had proven wrong those who had said that it was finished,…
Estonia’s national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland (Isamaa), continued as the country’s most popular political party in December 2025, according to Kantar Emor’s latest poll, ERR reports. Support for Fatherland stood at 24%, which was down from 26% in January 2025. Left-of-centre opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) came second with 21% (13%), followed by opposition Social Democratic…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading amendments to make it easier to dismiss the director general of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Altogether 76 MPs voted for, 50 against, and none abstained. Almost all MPs from the ruling three-party coalition backed the bill. The…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has rejected the opposition Estonian Centre Party’s (Keskerakond) proposal to lower the VAT on basic food products to 9%, ERR reports. No MPs voted against the proposal, but 42 MPs, mostly from the ruling coalition, abstained. Under the proposal, the VAT on specific categories of food, including vegetables and dairy,…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the state budget for 2026 with 80 votes for, 39 against, and 7 abstentions, BNS reports. Under the budget, annual revenues, including EU funds, will amount to EUR 21.07bn and expenditures to EUR 27.51bn. The government’s net borrowing limit has been increased to EUR 7.79bn, ELTA reports. The…