The three Baltic States have imposed entry bans on 11 Georgian officials due to their involvement in suppressing mass protests against the Georgian government’s decision to delay the country’s EU accession talks, Civil Georgia reports. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania urged the EU to levy sanctions on Georgian officials responsible for the violent police crackdown, Devdiscourse…
Latvia’s State Police has made the country’s largest ever drug bust near Aluksne, LETA reports. Police seized over 38,000 litres of chemical liquids used as precursors for the production of synthetic drugs. Police found more than one tonne of Clephedrone (4-CMC) with a market value of at least EUR 400mn at the illegal production facility…
The Lithuanian government has launched a pilot scheme to combat the use of narcotics and smoking in schools, LRT reports. Seven schools in Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Alytus will take part in the pilot programme, placing students under closer surveillance. The aim is to develop a joint response plan to prevent drug use and smoking. The…
A notorious leader of organised crime in Latvia has been arrested in an international operation, LSM reports. Latvia’s State Police, in cooperation with Europol and the Spanish National Police, detained 16 people, including 10 in Latvia and 6 in Spain. The group is suspected of selling narcotics and of large-scale money laundering. Police confiscated marijuana,…
The Latvian government will propose amendments that would allow soldiers and internal affairs officers to continue in service while receiving retirement pension, BNS reports. Also, the government will propose amendments allowing people aged over 40 years to join professional service in the military or internal affairs. At present, only citizens aged 18-40 years are eligible…
Estonia’s three-party coalition government has reached agreement on tax changes, Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced, ERR reports. He said that the government would raise the corporate profit tax, personal income tax, and VAT to finance increased spending on defence. The government will raise the VAT rate by 2 percentage points as of 1 July 2025…
Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) has asked the Prosecution Office to charge a non-citizen Latvian resident for planning terrorist attacks in Latvia, LSM reports. VDD’s investigation established that the person supports the ideology of the Islamic State terrorist group. The suspect was arrested in May 2024 after explosives, ammunition, and sulfuric acid were found at…
Symbols supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine have appeared on a number of properties in Lithuania’s port city of Klaipeda, according to local police, BNS reports. The letter Z was painted on three cars, on doors, walls, and windows of several buildings, on billboards, and on a church bell. The display of Russian war symbols is…
Police in Lithuania have recorded several acts of vandalism targeting Belarusians living in Vilnius recently, BNS reports. A message, “No place for Belarusian parasites here,” was painted in red on the street outside the Dapamoga refugee shelter. Also, windows of a Belarusian museum and a chapel where Belarusians usually pray were smashed. Belarusian opposition leader…