The share of children at risk of poverty in the Baltic States was lower than the EU average in 2023, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. The statistics showed that as many as 21.7% of children under the age of 18 years in Lithuania were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023, compared…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda was inaugurated as president for a second term on 12 July 2024, LRT reports. In his inaugural address, Nauseda pledged to strengthen national security, defend Lithuanian interests in foreign policy, continue supporting Ukraine, and foster ties with the US. He called for raising Lithuania’s defence budget to 4% of GDP by…
Priority activities in Latvia’s welfare sector require budget funding of EUR 108.7mn in 2024, Welfare Minister Evika Silina stated, Baltic News Network reports. She noted that providing sufficient funding for the welfare sector was an investment into a “stable and well-off society.” Silina said that budget funding was needed for hospice care, child protection, support…
Latvia’s new president, Edgars Rinkevics, held his inauguration speech in the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, outlining his vision of a “strong, modern, just, and safe” Latvia, on 8 July 2023, LSM reports. The President noted that Latvia was one, yet not homogenous, and stressed that the rights of every person must be protected. Latvia’s biggest…