Lithuanians are the biggest supporters of Ukraine in the Baltic States, according to a Eurobarometer poll, BNS reports. As many as 95% of Lithuanians agree with providing humanitarian support to people affected by the war in Ukraine, compared with 91% in Latvia and 89% in Estonia. Another 93% of Lithuanians, 87% of Latvians, and 77%…
There are not enough votes at the moment in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliament’s national security and defence committee, stated, BNS reports. Under existing legislation, Belarusians face fewer limitations than Russian citizens. President Gitanas Nauseda has demanded equal restrictions on Belarusians and Russians,…
More than every tenth person in Latvia is lonely, according to a Norstat poll for LSM. The survey showed that 13% of residents feel lonely throughout the year, while 25% feel lonelier during autumn and winter. As many as 20% of young people aged 18-29 years feel lonely regardless of the season and 32% during…
Retailers in Estonia expect declining sales in the first half of 2024 amid lower consumer confidence, ERR reports. Many consumers plan to go shopping in neighbouring countries due to the rise in the VAT rate from 20% to 22% as of 1 January 2024, according to a Norstat poll for Citadele bank, BNS reports. The…
Half of Latvia’s population think that adopting the euro in 2014 was a good idea, according to a Norstat poll for LSM. The survey showed that 51% of Latvian residents believe that switching to the EU’s official currency was a good decision. Younger individuals were more likely to support the euro, while the more elderly…
More than a third of Latvian residents believe that 2024 will be financially better for them than 2023, according to a Norstat poll for Luminor Bank, Baltic News Network reports. The survey showed that 38% of residents expect this year to be financially better than last year. Young people aged 18-29 years are particularly optimistic,…
The Estonian opposition party, the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE), remains the country’s most popular party, according to a Norstat poll for the Institute of Societal Research (YI) conducted in October 2023, ERR reports. The survey showed that 23.2% of voters now support EKRE, followed by another conservative opposition party, Fatherland (Isamaa), with 20.2%….
Estonia’s parliament, the Riigikogu, has voted against forming a committee to investigate the Russian business interests of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’s husband, ERR reports. Altogether 55 MPs voted against and 16 in favour of setting up the committee. Earlier, the parliament’s constitutional committee rejected the idea of a special committee, which would have been able…
More prominent members of the opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) have left the party after the election of Tallinn mayor Mihhail Kõlvart as the party’s new chairman, ERR reports. Former party board chair, Tallinn deputy mayor, and environment minister Tõnis Mölder and the party’s former defence spokesman, Neeme Väli, are the latest high-profile members to…