Estonia: MPs call for closer ties with Israel

Members of the national defence committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, visited Israel and called for closer ties between the two countries, ERR reported. The MPs condemned the Palestinian terrorist organisation, Hamas, and urged Palestinians to reject the group. The Estonian parliamentarians encouraged Israel to consider providing military aid to Ukraine. Also, they highlighted…

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Lithuania: Polish farmers begin border blockade

Polish farmers have begun a week-long partial blockade of the Lithuanian border, BNS reports. The farmers are protesting against the EU’s environmental policies and the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. Polish authorities, not the farmers themselves, will conduct official checks, focusing on the origin of grain, particularly potential Russian imports disguised as Ukrainian. The farmers…

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Baltic: Russia declares Estonian PM, Baltic officials “wanted”

Russia has issued arrest warrants against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Deutsche Welle reports. This is the first time that Russia has opened a criminal case against an acting foreign head of government. The Russian Interior Ministry’s full database of wanted people, which was leaked to independent Russian media outlet Mediazona, indicated that Kallas and…

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Lithuania: Two more checkpoints on Belarus border to be closed down

Lithuania will close down two more checkpoints on the border with Belarus as of 1 March 2024, BNS reports. Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said that closing the checkpoints in Lavoriskes and Raigardas would allow authorities to enforce sanctions, prevent smuggling, and screen incoming travellers more effectively. Also, the National Security Commission (NSK) proposed cutting the…

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Latvia: 2,000 farmers staged protest rallies in 16 cities

Around 2,000 farmers protested across Latvia against the government’s agriculture policies on 5 February 2024, according to the Farmers’ Parliament (ZSA), LSM reported. Police said that the protests passed peacefully with no significant incidents, LETA reported. Farmers staged rallies with agricultural machinery in altogether 16 cities, calling for a ban on imports of Russian and…

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Latvia: Farmers begin protests across country

Latvian farmers will begin holding protests across the country on 5 February 2024, the Farmers’ Parliament (ZSA) announced, LSM reports. ZSA chairman Juris Lazdins said that the composition of the current government was “particularly distinguished by its arrogance and indifference.” The organisation has submitted its demands to Prime Minister Evika Silina and Agriculture Minister Armands…

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Estonia: Parties received over EUR 5mn from private donors in 2023

Estonian political parties received more than EUR 4.9mn in private donations in 2023, according to data from the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee (ERJK), ERR reported. The total does not include donations made to the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE) in the fourth quarter of 2023, however. The opposition Fatherland (Isamaa) party received altogether…

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