The Lithuanian Migration Department (LMD) has not found any more Lithuanian citizens with family ties to individuals subject to EU sanctions, BNS reports. LMD checked 3,571 individuals on sanctions lists and found that none of them or their spouses or children currently hold Lithuanian citizenship. LMD director Evelina Gudzinskaite said that earlier information, which indicated…
Latvia’s Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) has identified 985 Russian citizens who did not comply with the law on immigration and may therefore have to leave the country, LETA reports. The persons have two weeks to respond to notifications urging them to legalise their status. Some of the persons may already have left…
Estonia’s population totalled 1,366,491 people in the beginning of 2024, which was 607 more than a year earlier, according to Statistics Estonia’s preliminary data, BNS reports. The number of live births totalled 10,721 in 2023, which was 925 less than in 2022. The number of births was the lowest since 1919, when population data began…
The Baltic States support banning the import of grain from Russia and Belarus into the EU, according to the Lithuanian Transport Minister, Marius Skuodis, BNS reports. He discussed the issue with Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens and Estonian Climate Minister Kristen Michal. The ministers agreed to coordinate actions and avoid national initiatives. Earlier, Skuodis noted…
Lithuania’s Justice Minister, Ewelina Dobrowolska, warned against “populism” over the issue of Russian schools, BNS reported. Earlier, Education Minister Gintautas Jakstas suggested that Lithuania follow Estonia and Latvia in closing Russian schools. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Dobrowolska conceded that minority education faced challenges but insisted that they be dealt with by ensuring…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved the seizure of the so-called Moscow House in central Riga, LSM reports. The state is likely to auction the property. The building used to serve as a Russian cultural centre owned by the Moscow city government. Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) reported that the building was used to…
The Latvian government has outlined a comprehensive action plan to strengthen national security over the next few years, LETA reports. Key initiatives include securing allied presence, implementing NATO’s strategic concept, contributing to the EU’s security and defence policy, strengthening cooperation with transatlantic partners, and promoting EU-NATO cooperation. The plan prioritises dialogue with NATO member states,…
Latvia’s national air carrer, airBaltic, could offer direct flights from Lithuania to distant destinations, Simonas Bartkus, CEO of Lithuania’s airport operator, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (LTOU), suggested, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Bartkus said that airBaltic could offer flights to more distant destinations that are important for business travel. Also, airBaltic could…
A delegation of 11 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, will visit Taiwan on 20-27 January 2024, BNS reports. Freedom Party MP Vytautas Mitalas said that the Lithuanian delegation would be the first to meet with Taiwan’s newly elected president, William Lai. Mitalas noted that the visit would help bring Lithuania and Taiwan closer. Meanwhile,…