The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed amendments blocking investors from Russia and Belarus from obtaining temporary residence permits in Latvia, LETA reports. The amendments close a legal loophole that allowed Russian and Belarusian investors to obtain residence permits through an investment programme for alternative investment fund managers. Meanwhile, a parliamentary commission recommended setting quotas…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has signed into law amendments to legislation governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. The changes will create a new board of directors for LRT, expand the company’s governing council, and establish fixed terms for council members and increase their powers. Also, the amendments will…
Latvia has entered the official election campaign period ahead of the parliamentary elections on 3 October 2026, LSM reports. During the 120-day period, campaigners, media, and other involved parties must comply with strict rules on election campaigning, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) noted. KNAB will monitor the use of campaign funds and the…
A petition initiated by the mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, on stricter language rules for foreigners has collected more than 22,500 signatures, BNS reports. Under the proposal, non-EU residents would be required to have at least A2-level proficiency in Lithuanian after three years of residence. Earlier, Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic argued that…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has adopted changes to the law governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), LRT reports. The approved amendments are softer than the initial proposals, which sparked mass protests across the country and invited criticism from several media organisations both in Lithuania and abroad. However, LRT’s director…
The Estonian government has approved a new climate law, sending the draft bill to the country’s parliament, the Riigikogu, for consideration, ERR reports. The legislation establishes general greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2030, 2035, and 2040. The parliament has already set a goal for climate neutrality by 2050. Sector-specific emission reduction targets are included…
Poor management of Latvia’s state forest management company, Latvijas Valsts Mezi (LVM), led to major monetary losses, according to the State Audit Office (LRVK), LSM reported. The audit concluded that LVM’s management and the Ministry of Agriculture had failed to ensure sufficiently effective oversight of the company. The government’s decision to provide support to timber…
Lithuania’s parliamentary committee on culture has approved amendments to the controversial draft law governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), LRT reported. The committee approved a new management board, an expanded governing council, shorter four-year council terms, and tighter eligibility requirements for council member candidates. The committee dropped proposals to let…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has passed amendments banning citizens of hostile third countries from making donations to Estonian political parties, ERR reports. Earlier, Estonia precluded non-EU nationals from voting in local elections. The Riigikogu expanded also the supervisory powers of the Political Party Funding Surveillance Committee (ERJK), allowing the body to request documents and…