The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed in final reading amendments further limiting alcohol sales and advertising as of 1 August 2025, LSM reports. Under the amendments, the sale of alcoholic beverages will be permitted from 10am to 8pm on Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday, thus reducing the availability of…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda’s chief foreign policy adviser, Asta Skaisgiryte, urged against making “hasty steps” in withdrawing from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Skaisgiryte called for a regional solution on the issue. She supported a collective withdrawal from the treaty by NATO’s eastern flank or…
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys called for a “strong and decisive” response to attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, BNS reports. Speaking during a meeting with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics in Riga, Budrys urged to expand NATO patrols, impose sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet, and revise navigation rules in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile,…
The four policy priorities of Latvia’s coalition government in 2025 are “security, support for families, economic growth, and reducing bureaucracy,” Prime Minister Evika Silina announced, LSM reports. She will begin individual meetings with ministers to discuss the priorities, according to LETA. Silina said that national security remained the government’s most pressing priority, highlighting the need…
Latvia will have to raise its defence budget to at least 4% of GDP in the coming years, President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LSM reports. Speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Evika Silina, Rinkevics insisted that the current defence spending of 3.45% of GDP was not enough. He noted that Latvia had “a rather serious problem”…
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal will host a summit of Baltic rim NATO countries in Helsinki on 14 January 2025 to discuss the security of critical undersea infrastructure and Russia’s shadow fleet, ERR reports. Political leaders from all Baltic rim NATO countries, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission…
Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers have agreed to help step up international support for Moldova after Russia’s state-owned energy corporation, Gazprom, stopped gas supplies to the country, ERR reports. In a joint statement, the eight ministers said that they would work with the European Commission and other key partners to help Moldova. The ministers said…
Lithuania’s former president, Valdas Adamkus, has been hospitalised, his assistant, Bozena Bagonaitiene, confirmed, BNS reports. The former president, who is 98 years old, was admitted to Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos on 3 January 2024. The hospital said that Adamkus was hospitalised due to a worsening of his cardiac condition. Adamkus served two terms as…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has opened an investigation into possible conflict of interest involving Martin Gauss, CEO of the country’s national airline, airBaltic, LETA reports. KNAB said that it opened the probe after receiving applications from private individuals. Earlier, Girts Lapins, spokesman for the opposition National Alliance, reported that Gauss owns a…