The foreign ministers of the three Baltic States have sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing concern about recommendations to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris under a neutral flag, BNS reports. In their joint letter to IOC president Thomas Bach, the ministers…
The climate and energy ministers of the three Baltic States have agreed to bring forward the synchronisation of the Baltic power grids with the continental European system to February 2025, BNS reports. The national transmission system operators will now agree on the technical details, after which the prime ministers of the three countries will make…
Lithuania’s State Defence Council (VGT) has instructed the government to agree with Latvia and Estonia on the synchronisation of the Baltic power grids with the continental European system and disconnection from Russia’s BRELL system by February 2025, BNS reports. Kestutis Budrys, chief national security adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, said that there was “no fundamental…
Latvia will soon have several new ambassadors, LSM reports. Latvia’s former long-term ambassador to Russia, Maris Riekstins, will become Latvia’s new permanent representative to NATO. Riekstins served in the same post in 2011-2025 as well. Meanwhile, Sanita Pavluta-Deslandes will replace Andrejs Pildegovics as Latvia’s ambassador to the United Nations. Also, Solveiga Silkalna, former adviser to…
Latvia’s Foreign Ministry has repeated its strong recommendation for Latvian citizens not to travel to Belarus and Russia due to the current tense security situation, LSM reports. The ministry warned that travellers may be subjected to provocations. Diana Eglite, press secretary at the Foreign Ministry, urged people to assess risks. In June 2022, a Latvian…
The movements of the Russian private military company, Wagner Group, in Belarus do not present any direct threat to Latvia, the Ministry of Defence stated, LETA reports. The ministry noted that Latvia’s national security authorities have been on high alert ever since Russia started its full invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said…
Lithuania’s President, Gitanas Nauseda, will propose stricter penalties for crimes against the state, BNS reports. The proposed amendments would introduce life sentences for organising or taking part in a coup. Currently, the maximum penalty for such an offense is 20 years in prison. Also, the president’s proposed legislation would introduce longer prison terms for being…
A leak of alleged security details of NATO’s summit in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, was linked to a breach of Lithuanian government IT systems, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) announced, BNS reports. NKVC director Vilmantas Vitkauskas said that the seriousness of the incident was “likely to be greater than initially thought.” The government chancellery has…
Coordinated action by the Baltic States was essential to synchronise their power grids with the continental European system, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Rinkevics discussed the synchronisation project with Climate and Energy Minister Raimonds Cudars. Earlier, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urged Rinkevics to speed up the synchronisation project, LETA reported. Speaking after a…
