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…
Latvia’s Ministry of Justice will propose banning vehicles registered in Russia and Belarus from staying in the country for more than three months, LSM reports. Under the proposed law, owners of Russian and Belarusian vehicles would have to re-register the vehicles in Latvia. Justice Minister Inese Libina-Egnere pointed out that keeping cars with Russian or…
Latvia’s Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) has informed 3,541 Russian citizens that their Latvian residence permits expired on 2 September 2023, LSM reports. The persons have failed to submit applications to obtain long-term EU residence permits or retake language exams as required. The Russian nationals will therefore have to leave Latvia by 30…
A cyber attack disrupted ticket sales for Estonia’s passenger train operator, Elron, on 20 September 2023, ERR reports. Ticket sales were disrupted at POS terminals, on trains, and online. Passengers could pay for tickets by cash on the train, however. The disruption was due to repeated DDoS attacks by supporters of Russia against the provider…
Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jovita Neliupsiene, has met with the Vatican’s envoy to Lithuania, Petar Rajic, to discuss recent remarks by Pope Francis about Russia, BNS reports. Neither side provided details about the meeting, however. Earlier, the pontiff addressed young Catholics in Saint Petersburg, saying that they were “children of great Russia” and “of a…
Latvia’s state-owned Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (EDZL) has awarded a contract to build the Rail Baltica railway in Latvia to the European joint venture, ERB Rail Baltica, for EUR 3.7mn, LSM reports. ERB Rail Baltica was established by France’s Eiffage Génie Civil, Italy’s Rizzani de Eccher, and Poland’s Budimex. EDZL’s procurement commission excluded Türkiye’s IC Ictas…
Around 40 people have left the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) after the election of Tallinn mayor Mihhail Kõlvart as the party’s new chairman, ERR reports. The number of resignations may increase later. The Centre Party has over 13,000 registered members. The high-profile people who have left the party include former Tartu mayor and minister Jaan…
Estonia will terminate a legal assistance agreement with Russia, Justice Minister Kalle Laanet announced, ERR reports. The agreement primarily concerns cases under family and commercial law. Laanet noted that the Russian judicial system was political and untrustworthy. Russia made altogether 240 requests for legal assistance in 2022.
The Russian NGO, Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which was founded by jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, has asked the Baltic States to reconsider a ban on cars with Russian licence plates, LRT reports. FBK chairwoman Maria Pevchikh published letters that the organisation sent to Baltic governments, arguing that the ban undermined and discredited sanctions against…