The foreign ministers of the three Baltic States have sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing concern about recommendations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris under a neutral flag, BNS reports. In their joint letter to IOC president Thomas Bach, the ministers…
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis, and Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas have sent a joint letter to the European Commission, in which they call for helping Ukraine export more grain via the Baltic States, BNS reports. The ministers argued that Baltic ports, railways, and roads could serve as a viable alternative route…
The climate and energy ministers of the three Baltic States have agreed to bring forward the synchronisation of the Baltic power grids with the continental European system to February 2025, BNS reports. The national transmission system operators will now agree on the technical details, after which the prime ministers of the three countries will make…
Latvian capital Riga’s acting mayor, Vilnis Kirsis (New Unity), has invited all political groups in the current ruling coalition in the Riga City Council for talks to form a new coalition on 25 July 2023, LETA reports. Kirsis suggested that the talks could be held either with each political group individually or with all groups…
The Estonian government has postponed the appointment of a special representative for the Ida-Virumaa county, ERR reports. Regional Affairs Minister Madis Kallas now hopes that the special representative will be appointed by the beginning of September 2023. Kallas said that the appointment was delayed due to summer holidays and more pressing political issues. Also, the…
Lithuania’s State Commission of the Lithuanian Language (VLKK) recently ordered the authorities in Vilnius district municipality to remove bilingual Lithuanian-Polish signs in the villages of Azulauke and Bieliskes, LRT reports. The municipality refused to comply and took the issue to the Administrative Disputes Commission, which found that VLKK’s order was unlawful and unfounded. Audrius Valotka,…
Estonia’s Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committe (ERJK) has asked six political parties whether they received services that may be classified as prohibited donations from the Liberal Citizen Foundation (SALK), ERR reports. ERJK sent the inquiries to current ruling coalition parties Estonian Reform Party, Estonia 200, the Social Democratic Party (SDE), as well as the opposition’s…
Latvia will soon have several new ambassadors, LSM reports. Latvia’s former long-term ambassador to Russia, Maris Riekstins, will become Latvia’s new permanent representative to NATO. Riekstins served in the same post in 2011-2025 as well. Meanwhile, Sanita Pavluta-Deslandes will replace Andrejs Pildegovics as Latvia’s ambassador to the United Nations. Also, Solveiga Silkalna, former adviser to…
The Principality of Monaco may establish a permanent office in the Latvian capital, Riga, The Baltic Times reports. Andris Kuznieks, deputy head of the European Commission’s representation in Latvia, offered premises for regular cultural activities to showcase Monaco. The issue was discussed during a visit to Latvia by Professor Franco Borruto, consultant on health care…