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…
The Baltic States have banned motor vehicles with Russian license plates from entering, ERR reports. Earlier, the European Commission issued new guidelines on EU sanctions, according to which cars registered in Russia are not allowed to enter EU territory. The ban applies to the entry of both commercial and private vehicles through the borders with…
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, criticised US technology entrepreneur Elon Musk for denying Ukraine access to his astronautics company SpaceX’s satellite network, Starlink, ERR reports. Tsahkna noted that Musk had an opportunity to shorten the war in Ukraine and save lives, but chose not to do so. Musk said that he had refused Ukraine’s request…
Social media users in Latvia have highlighted statements by Andris Spruds, potential candidate for minister of defence, about the Latvian state and Russian-occupied Crimea, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview on the Russian-language radio station, Radio Baltkom, in January 2013, Spruds contested the legal continuity of the Latvian republic. Also, he asserted that…
Estonia’s Office of the Prosecutor General has charged Aivo Peterson, leader of the pro-Russian political party, Together (Koos), with treason, ERR reports. Also, Estonian citizen Dmitri Rootsi was charged with treason and Russian citizen Andrey Andronov for non-violent activities against Estonia. Rootsi and Andronov are both members of the pro-Russian organisation, Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor)….
Over two thirds of Estonians think that Prime Minister Kaja Kallas should resign amid a scandal over business ties with Russia, according to a new Norstat poll for the Institute of Societal Research (YI), ERR reports. The survey showed that 67% of respondents thought that Kallas should resign, while 27% said that she should not….