Latvia: President begins talks on new government

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has begun consultations with parliamentary groups on forming a new government, Baltic News reports. The President stressed the need to ensure political stability, effective governance, and national security continuity. The discussions are focused on how to build a working coalition in the parliament, the Saeima, and on the future direction of…

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Latvia: Agriculture Minister detained, dismissed

Latvia’s outgoing Prime Minister Evika Silina has dismissed Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze of the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) after the latter came under criminal investigation for abuse of office, LSM reported. Earlier, Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) briefly detained Krauze and the Agriculture Ministry’s former state secretary, current director of the…

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Lithuania: Finnish president on two-day state visit

Finnish President Alexander Stubb is paying a two-day state visit to Lithuania, STT reports. Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, and a large business delegation are travelling together with the president. The visit will focus on bilateral relations, defence and technology cooperation, and Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Stubb will meet…

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Latvia: PM resigns, coalition collapses

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina has resigned, which means that her coalition government has collapsed, LSM reports. The opposition had planned to initiate a vote of no confidence in the prime minister. President Edgars Rinkevics will now consult parliamentary groups on forming a new government. Edgars Tavars, leader of the opposition United List’s parliamentary group,…

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Latvia: Progressives calls for new government

Latvia’s social-democratic party, the Progressives, has decided to withdraw its support for the country’s current three-party coalition government, Andris Suvajevs, leader of the party’s parliamentary group, announced, LSM reports. The Progressives called on President Edgars Rinkevics to begin immediate consultations on the formation of a new government. Earlier, Prime Minister Evika Silina, leader of the…

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Lithuania: President rejects rapprochement with Belarus

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda rejected suggestions that relations with Belarus were improving, LRT reported. He said that there had been no positive changes on Belarusian balloon incursions, illegal migration, or participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine. There were thus no grounds to ease sanctions on Belarus, Nauseda stated. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said that…

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Latvia: Transport Ministry under fire after Rail Baltica report

A report of the Latvian government’s internal review commission on the progress of the Rail Baltica railway project has revealed that the state-owned company, Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas, failed to consult independent experts on important decisions, LETA and LSM reported. The commission report analysed two suspended construction projects on a railway bridge across the Daugava river…

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