The Latvian government has decided to launch an initial public offering (IPO) of shares in the state-owned national air carrier, airBaltic, by the end of 2024, ERR reports. Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens said that the IPO would proceed concurrently with talks with a new strategic investor, LSM reported. He said that the state only planned…
Polish-owned fuel trading company Orlen Latvija remained the largest single taxpayer in Latvia in 2023, according to the State Revenue Service (VID), LSM reports. VID awarded 20 companies in 5 regions in the large, medium, small, and micro-enterprise categories for their labour tax contributions in 2023. The biggest taxpayers in the segment of large enterprises…
Latvia’s Riga International Airport (RIX) served 3.2mn passengers in the first half of 2024, which was 4% more than in the same period of 2023, LSM reports. The number of passengers now exceeds the pre-pandemic indicators. RIX accounted for 40% of the total number of passengers and 38% of flights served at all Baltic airports…
The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) attracted 28 foreign investment projects in the first half of 2024, LSM reported. The projects will bring investments of EUR 263mn and create 1,245 new jobs. Altogether 13 of the projects are in Riga, 9 in Kurzeme, 3 in Latgale, 2 in Vidzeme, and 1 in Zemgale….
The number of poor people in need of assistance in Latvia has been decreasing in recent years in the regions of Kurzeme and Latgale, but has increased in the capital, Riga, according to the state-run Society Integration Foundation (SIF), LSM reports. More than 20% of all poor and low-income people received food aid and basic…
Latvia’s Riga City Council may revise its property tax policy to address the issue of abandoned and empty shopfronts in the Old Town, LSM reports. Also, the city council has invested EUR 1.5mn in promoting Riga as a tourist destination and will launch a major redevelopment project for two streets in the Old Town to…
The prime ministers of the three Baltic States will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on 6 May 2024 in the Latvian capital, Riga, LETA reports. The meeting will focus on security and defence, EU affairs, support for Ukraine, economic cooperation, and regional energy and transport projects. According to Latvia’s State Chancellery, Baltic leaders have…
Estonian bus operator Lux Express has opened a night-time bus service between Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, and the Latvian capital, Riga, BNS reports. The daily bus departs from Tartu at 11:15pm and arrives at Riga International Airport at 4:20am. In addition, Lux Express has a morning and an evening departure from Tartu to Riga, and…
Chief justices and judges of the constitutional courts of the three Baltic States held a meeting in Riga to strengthen cooperation and share best practices, BNS reported. The court representatives discussed topics like fair trial rights, state language protection, and recent case law, highlighting the importance of such collaboration for maintaining the rule of law.