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…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the nomination of former prime minister, MEP Andrius Kubilius for Lithuania’s EU commissioner, BNS reports. Altogether 70 MPs voted in favour and 24 against, while 15 abstained. Kubilius said that Lithuania should seek portfolios related to defence, security, and EU enlargement in the new European Commission. He noted…
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…
Estonia may need to raise its defence spending to 5% of GDP to implement NATO’s new defence plans, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stated, ERR reports. He said that Estonia clearly needed to acquire more capabilities, including air defence systems and equipment to deal with chemical and biological weapons. The money needed would amount to EUR…
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is investigating former Lithuanian MEP Viktor Uspaskich (Viktoras Uspasckichas) for possible fraud, LRT reports. EPPO suspects Uspaskich, founder and leader of the opposition Labour Party, of hiring fake assistants to misappropriate more than EUR 500,000 from the European Parliament. In April 2024, police searched the offices of the Labour…
Schools in Estonia have begun transitioning to education in Estonian under a plan approved by the country’s parliament, the Riigikogu, in December 2022, ERR reports. The transition will proceed gradually, with kindergartens and school grades one and four transitioning to fully Estonian education in 2024. Grades two and five will transition in 2025 and grade…
Estonia’s liberal Estonia 200 (E200) party, junior partner in the country’s current coalition government, has elected Education Minister Kristina Kallas as its new chairperson, replacing Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, ERR reports. Kallas stressed the importance of values as a “key component” in politics. E200 will now start preparing for upcoming local elections and will strive…
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…
Ministers in Estonia’s new government led by Kristen Michal of the Estonian Reform Party have been sworn in before the country’s parliament, the Riigikogu, ERR reports. Reform has seven, the Social Democratic Party (SDE) four, and Estonia 200 three ministers in the new coalition. The cabinet of ministers includes seven men and seven women.