Latvia’s relations with the US are deep and positive, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze assured, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, Braze noted said that US President Donald Trump’s administration appreciated Latvia for being a good ally and for not engaging in public “loud rhetoric.” Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met…
Estonia’s annual inflation may reach 6% or higher in 2025, driven by the rise in energy and food prices, local analysts forecast, ERR reports. Triinu Tapver, analyst at LHV Pank, said that inflation could amount to as much as 6.2-6.5% in 2025, which would be up sharply from the bank’s earlier estimate of 4.5% at…
Estonia’s annual GDP totalled EUR 39.5bn at current prices in 2024, which was down 0.3% from 2023, according to data from Statistics Estonia, ERR reports. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the GDP totalled EUR 10.6bn, which was up 1.2% from a year earlier. This marked the end of ten quarters of recession in the…
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has again suspended the case over China’s trade restrictions on Lithuania, following a second request from the European Commission (EC), BNS reports. Apparently, EC lawyers have failed to find sufficient proof of Chinese restrictions on Lithuanian goods. The case may now be halted for a year and then terminated if…
The total turnover of retail trade enterprises in Estonia amounted to EUR 10.4bn in 2024, which was down 3% from 2023, according to preliminary data from Statistics Estonia, Baltic News Network reports. Retail sales in grocery stores fell by 3% and in stores selling manufactured goods by 4% over a year. Retail sales of automotive…
Latvia’s total retail trade turnover rose by 1% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to calendar-adjusted data at constant prices published by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. The annual turnover of retail trade in food products decreased by 1.6%, whereas retail trade of non-food products (except automotive fuel) increased by 2.3%. Retail sales…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has passed in final reading amendments further limiting alcohol sales and advertising as of 1 August 2025, LSM reports. Under the amendments, the sale of alcoholic beverages will be permitted from 10am to 8pm on Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday, thus reducing the availability of…
Estonia has implemented a new rounding rule for cash payments as of 1 January 2025, The Baltic Guide reports. Under the new “Swedish rounding” rule, the final cash transaction totals will be rounded to the nearest five cents, reducing the need for one and two cent coins. The coins will still remain legal tender, however….
Lithuania should not support the ratification of the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement, Lithuania’s Agriculture Minister, Ignas Hofmanas, stated, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview with LRT, Hofmanas insisted that Lithuania should wait for the European Commission’s “detailed explanation” of the free trade agreement. Earlier, the rural affairs committee of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas,…