Estonia ranked best and Latvia worst in the Baltic States on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, LSM reported. Estonia ranked 12th out of 180 countries worldwide in 2023, which was up from 14th place in 2022. Lithuania ranked 34th (33rd) and Latvia 36th (39th). Estonia scored 76 points on the index in 2023, which…
Satisfaction with life in the Baltic States was lowest in Latvia in 2022, according to Eurostat data, LSM reported. Residents in Latvia rated their overall life satisfaction at just 6.8 out of 10 points in 2022, which was up from 6.7 in 2021. The indicator stood at 7.1 (7.0) points in Lithuania and 7.2 (7.2)…
There are not enough votes at the moment in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliament’s national security and defence committee, stated, BNS reports. Under existing legislation, Belarusians face fewer limitations than Russian citizens. President Gitanas Nauseda has demanded equal restrictions on Belarusians and Russians,…
More than every tenth person in Latvia is lonely, according to a Norstat poll for LSM. The survey showed that 13% of residents feel lonely throughout the year, while 25% feel lonelier during autumn and winter. As many as 20% of young people aged 18-29 years feel lonely regardless of the season and 32% during…
Retailers in Estonia expect declining sales in the first half of 2024 amid lower consumer confidence, ERR reports. Many consumers plan to go shopping in neighbouring countries due to the rise in the VAT rate from 20% to 22% as of 1 January 2024, according to a Norstat poll for Citadele bank, BNS reports. The…
Half of Latvia’s population think that adopting the euro in 2014 was a good idea, according to a Norstat poll for LSM. The survey showed that 51% of Latvian residents believe that switching to the EU’s official currency was a good decision. Younger individuals were more likely to support the euro, while the more elderly…
More than a third of Latvian residents believe that 2024 will be financially better for them than 2023, according to a Norstat poll for Luminor Bank, Baltic News Network reports. The survey showed that 38% of residents expect this year to be financially better than last year. Young people aged 18-29 years are particularly optimistic,…
The opposition Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) remained the country’s most popular political party in October 2023, according to a new Vilmorus poll, BNS reports. LSDP topped the poll with 18.0% support, which was down from 18.8% in September 2023. The ruling Homeland Union (TS-LKD) came in second with 9.3% (11.3%), followed by two…
The Estonian opposition party, the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE), remains the country’s most popular party, according to a Norstat poll for the Institute of Societal Research (YI) conducted in October 2023, ERR reports. The survey showed that 23.2% of voters now support EKRE, followed by another conservative opposition party, Fatherland (Isamaa), with 20.2%….
