Passenger rail service from Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, to the Latvian capital, Riga, could begin in the second half of 2025, according to Estonian passenger rail operator Elron, LETA reports. Latvia’s passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), has proposed opening a rail link from Riga to Tartu in spring 2025. Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens,…
The share of renewable sources in total energy consumption in the Baltic States was highest in Latvia in 2022, LSM reports. Eurostat data showed that 43.3% of Latvia’s gross final energy consumption came from renewable sources in 2022, which was up from 42.1% in 2021. Estonia came in second with 38.5% (37.4%), followed by Lithuania…
GPS systems in the Baltic Sea region, including Estonia, experienced disruptions attributed to Russia at the end of 2023, according to monitoring websites, ERR reports. Estonia witnessed major disruptions along its eastern border and in the south. The disruptions were traced back to Russia’s Leningrad region, with potential spillover into Estonian and neighbouring airspace, according…
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have adopted a coordinated approach to improve the effectiveness of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, ERR reports. The prime ministers of the three Baltic States stressed the importance of a unified strategy, aiming to prevent fragmentation and serve as an example for other EU border countries. The joint effort includes…
A cyber attack disrupted ticket sales for Estonia’s passenger train operator, Elron, on 20 September 2023, ERR reports. Ticket sales were disrupted at POS terminals, on trains, and online. Passengers could pay for tickets by cash on the train, however. The disruption was due to repeated DDoS attacks by supporters of Russia against the provider…
The presidents of the Baltic States and Poland met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss the transport of Ukrainian grain through EU ports, ERR reports. Estonian President Alar Karis noted that shipping Ukrainian grain via Baltic ports required cooperation with Poland. Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament,…
The Estonian government has agreed on the state budget for 2024, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced, ERR reports. Under the agreement, the government will introduce no new taxes in addition to ones implemented earlier. The government will not impose a new tax on commercial banks, which will instead pay more taxable dividends. Also, the government…
The network of public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations is growing rapidly in the Baltic States, ERR reports. Estonia has 0.57 EV charging stations, Latvia 2.38 stations, and Lithuania 0.93 stations for every 10 EVs registered. The total number of charging stations amounts to 311 in Estonia, 532 in Latvia, and 1,018 in Lithuania. Meanwhile,…
The Russian NGO, Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which was founded by jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, has asked the Baltic States to reconsider a ban on cars with Russian licence plates, LRT reports. FBK chairwoman Maria Pevchikh published letters that the organisation sent to Baltic governments, arguing that the ban undermined and discredited sanctions against…