Latvia: Government to privatise airBaltic “sooner or later”: PM

The Latvian government will have to relinquish its controlling stake in the national air carrier, airBaltic, “sooner or later,” Prime Minister Evika Silina said, LETA reports. The government wants airBaltic to operate more on market principles, she stated. If airBaltic’s planned IPO fails, the government will make a “separate decision” on the company’s future, Silina…

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Latvia: New strategic investor in airBaltic “big surprise”: CEO

The new strategic investor in Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, will be “a big positive surprise,” CEO Martin Gauss stated, LSM reports. He said that the identity of the investor would indicate that airBaltic was “recognised internationally as a serious airline.” Also, the investor would welcome the continued shareholding of the Latvian state in the…

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Lithuania: Consumers spending more on food, less at restaurants

Amid rising incomes and optimism about their financial situation, Lithuanians are spending more on food and non-essentials but are increasingly reluctant to dine out due to high restaurant prices driven by rising labour costs and the expiration of pandemic-era tax breaks, LRT reports. While supermarket food sales are boosting economic growth, restaurant turnover has fallen…

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