Estonia’s incoming prime minister, Kristen Michal, said that the Estonian Reform Party would not propose reducing or repealing the tax-free income threshold during upcoming talks on forming a new coalition, ERR reports. Earlier, outgoing prime minister Kaja Kallas said that Reform had suggested lowering the basic income tax exemption, but that the party’s coalition partners…
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has successfully distanced himself from his former party, New Unity and established his own independent identity, according to political scientist Lelde Metla-Rozentale of Riga Stradins University, LETA reports. While New Unity voters still associate Rinkevics with the party, his work is highly regarded across various voter groups, including those from the…
The Estonian Reform Party has proposed reducing the tax-free income threshold to boost government budget revenue, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas revealed, ERR reports. However, she said that Reform’s coalition partners, Estonia 200 and the Social Democratic Party (SDE), opposed the idea due to its potential adverse impact on low-income earners. Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets of…
Lithuanian MEP-elect Virginijus Sinkevicius has been elected as one of the six vice chairpersons of the Greens/European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament, BNS reports. Sinkevicius served as the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries in the outgoing European Commission. He is a member of the opposition Union of Democrats for Lithuania…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has ordered the opposition National Alliance to pay back to the state EUR 210,673 of state budget financing that the party had spent illegally, LETA reports. Also, KNAB halted the payment of state support to the party for one year. In 2022, the National Alliance spent EUR 554,727…
Estonia’s ruling coalition parties have agreed to introduce a new tax to fund national defence, ERR reports. Incoming prime minister Kristen Michal of the Estonian Reform Party stated that the tax would likely combine increases in VAT, income tax, and excise duties. The aim was to distribute the financial burden evenly across different societal groups,…
Estonian MEP Jaak Madison has joined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) in the European Parliament, ERR reports. Earlier, Madison left the far-right opposition party, Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE), which is part of the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the EU parliament. Madison said that French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and…
A private meeting between Gabrielius Landsbergis, chairman of Lithuania’s conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD), and MP Eugenijus Gentvilas of the Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS) has highlighted tensions within the country’s coalition government, LRT reports. The meeting, initiated by Landsbergis, occurred after a period of strained communication. The opposition surmised that the meeting likely involved the possible…
Lithuanian MEP Viktor Uspaskich has returned to the Labour Party as its interim chairman, BNS reports. Uspaskich was reinstated following the resignation of MP Valentinas Bukauskas and after the opposition party’s poor performance in recent presidential and European Parliament elections. The Labour Party’s council has formed a group to negotiate potential coalitions for the upcoming…
