Latvia’s population has dropped at the highest rate in the entire EU over the last 20 years, according to Eurostat, LSM reported. Latvia’s population declined by 17% in 2005-2025. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s population decreased by 14%, whereas Estonia’s population only declined by 1% over the same period. The population totalled 2.89 million people in Lithuania, 1.86…
Lithuanian parties are discussing the possibility of signing a long-term national accord on demographic policy, following a proposal from Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), LRT reported. Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the opposition Homeland Union, welcomed the proposal, while Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, leader of the opposition Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS),…
Passenger traffic by land and sea transport increased in Latvia in 2025, according to the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reported. The number of passengers on land transport totalled 192.4 million in 2025, which was up 0.6% from 191.2 million in 2024. The number of passengers on regular bus lines amounted to 97.6 million (down…
Lithuania’s parliamentary committee on culture has approved amendments to the controversial draft law governing the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), LRT reported. The committee approved a new management board, an expanded governing council, shorter four-year council terms, and tighter eligibility requirements for council member candidates. The committee dropped proposals to let…
The Baltic States are likely to see a more than 2% decline in GDP per year due to poor mental health over 2025-2050, according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ERR reports. The projected drop in GDP in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will be the highest of all…
Around 63,000 children will start kindergarten in Estonia in 2026, which is down from just under 67,000 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education, ERR reports. The number of children in kindergarten has gone down across the country due to falling birth rates, which has made it easier for parents to place their children…
Over 500 experts and decision-makers from across the Baltic Sea region will attend the 17th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on 11-13 May 2026, BNS reports. The central theme of this year’s forum is resilience. The conference participants will discuss regional security and…
Latvia’s Central Election Commission (CVK) has registered a signature campaign for holding a referendum on changing the country’s state-funded pension system, LSM reports. The populist opposition party, Latvia First (LPV), initiated the referendum campaign after the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, rejected the party’s legislative proposal. The referendum campaign is very unlikely to succeed, however. Under…
Authorities in the Baltic States are preparing for possible provocations on 9 May 2026, when Russians celebrate the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II and occupation of central and eastern Europe. Authorities in the Russian border town of Ivangorod (Jaanilinn) will hold another propaganda concert on the banks of the Narva river for the…