Some internet domains used by Russia to meddle in the upcoming US presidential elections were purchased using the Lithuanian cryptocurrency payment platform, CoinGate, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), BNS reports. CoinGate is owned by Vilnius-based Decentralized (former Virtualios Valiutos), which established a subsidiary, CoinGate, in the US in 2021. Some of…
Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens, has no intention to resign despite criticism of his communication, LSM reports. Earlier, President Edgars Rinkevics and Prime Minister Evika Silina criticised the minister’s messaging on the future of the country’s national air carrier, airBaltic, and the Rail Baltica railway project. Speaking after a meeting with Briskens, Rinkevics said that…
Estonia’s Foreign Ministry had “no role whatsoever” in organising or initiating a recent visit by six Estonian MPs to China, the ministry’s director of media relations, Liisa Toots, stated, ERR reports. She said that the visit was organised by the Chinese embassy in Estonia in cooperation with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, which…
Most Lithuanians favour US Vice President Kamala Harris in the US presidential elections, according to a Norstat poll for 15min, BNS reports. The survey showed that 66% of Lithuanians favoured Harris, while 12% of respondents preferred former president Donald Trump. Another 22% had no opinion or saw no difference between the two candidates for Lithuania….
Lithuania’s Defence Minister, Laurynas Kasciunas, urged NATO allies to form a coalition to fund Ukraine’s defence industry, BNS reports. Lithuania will allocate EUR 10mn to Ukraine for the acquisition of long-range weapons manufactured in Ukraine. Kasciunas urged other countries to do the same, either by transferring the purchased weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine…
Estonian President Alar Karis stressed that the state budget must remain under strict parliamentary control, BNS reported. Speaking at the opening of the autumn session of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, Karis said that MPs should not engage in bargaining for budget funds for their supporters, but instead focus on making the most important decisions…
Lithuania will have 15,500 professional military personnel and 50,000 soldiers in the active reserve by 2030 under the Defence Ministry’s new plan, BNS reports. Currently, Lithuania has 13,500 professional soldiers in service. Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said that the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) would form a new infrantry division in phases by 2030. The division…
The Latvian state will have to borrow at least EUR 3bn annually for the next four years, Kaspars Abolins, head of the State Treasury, announced, LETA reports. He said that the state needed to refinance earlier Eurobonds and finance the state budget deficit and loans to local governments. The plan was to raise the money…
Estonia’s former president, Kersti Kaljulaid, has decided to run for president of the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK), BNS reports. Kaljulaid said that 25 EOK members had nominated her to the position. She said that the members had welcomed her ideas about the future of the organisation and Estonian sports. The deadline for candidate nominations is…