The average monthly gross wage in Estonia amounted to EUR 2,135 in the first quarter of 2026, which was up 6.2% from the same period of 2025, according to Statistics Estonia, ERR reported. Wages increased in all counties, rising by 6.5% to EUR 2,538 in Tallinn, by 6.3% to EUR 2,405 in Harjumaa county, and…
The average monthly gross wage in Latvia amounted to EUR 1,831 in the first quarter of 2026, which was an increase of EUR 73 (4.2%) from the same period of 2025, according to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. The average wage rose by 4.6% in the public sector and 4.1%…
Latvia’s GDP totalled EUR 9.9bn at current prices in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. Compared to the same period of 2025, the GDP rose by 2.5% at constant prices, according to seasonally and calendar non-adjusted data. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, the…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the state budget for 2026 with 80 votes for, 39 against, and 7 abstentions, BNS reports. Under the budget, annual revenues, including EU funds, will amount to EUR 21.07bn and expenditures to EUR 27.51bn. The government’s net borrowing limit has been increased to EUR 7.79bn, ELTA reports. The…
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has announced details on its planned spending under the government’s defence budget in 2026, LSM reports. Latvia will spend a total of EUR 2.158bn on defence in 2026, which will be 4.91% of the estimated annual GDP. Altogether EUR 1.14bn (53%) of the defence budget will go to buy new military…
Employee optimism about wage growth is waning in the Baltic States, according to Citadele Bank’s Purchasing Barometer survey in August 2025, BNS reports. The survey showed that 15% of Lithuanian workers expect a pay rise in the next three months, compared to 12% in Latvia and just 6% in Estonia. Meanwhile, 10% of workers in…
The Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) has called for reforming the country’s labour laws, LSM reports. FICIL said that Latvia’s labour market faced “growing structural challenges”, which it said were “driven by demographic decline, a mismatch between labour skills and market needs, and outdated regulations.” The business lobby group called for reforms to “enhance…
Lithuania’s GDP rose by 3% over a year in 2024 to EUR 79bn at current prices, according to the State Data Agency’s (VDA) revised data, BNS reports. Gross value added in manufacturing rose by 2.9% and in wholesale and retail trade by 2.6% in constant prices. Growth in professional, scientific, and technical activities stood at…
Latvia’s National Armed Forces (NBS) intends to recruit an additional 500 professional soldiers, Baltic News Network reports. NBS plans to recruit altogether 8,000 professional soldiers over 2025. The Defence Ministry has allocated up to EUR 7.7mn of state budget funds for military staff salaries in 2025. Another EUR 6.5mn will be needed in 2026. The…
