The Latvian government, which took office in September 2023, has approved a plan of action, LSM reports. The plan foresees 269 specific measures in line with the government declaration. The action plan is divided into three main priorities: “Prosperous Latvia,” “Safe Latvia,” and “Latvian and inclusive Latvia.” All state institutions must submit reports on the…
Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, said that the Estonian Defence Forces believed that the country’s defence spending could rise to 4.5% of GDP, ERR reports. However, Pevkur emphasised the need for a “reasonable limit” due to investments in health care, social welfare, and education. He acknowledged the desire for increased spending on defence given…
Latvia’s Ministry of Finance plans to submit draft laws on the state budget for 2024 and budget plans for 2024-2026 to the parliament, the Saeima, on 3 November 2023, LETA reports. The government will discuss the budget at its next meeting. The new coalition government’s declaration pledges to carry out a “balanced social, environmental, and…
Priority activities in Latvia’s welfare sector require budget funding of EUR 108.7mn in 2024, Welfare Minister Evika Silina stated, Baltic News Network reports. She noted that providing sufficient funding for the welfare sector was an investment into a “stable and well-off society.” Silina said that budget funding was needed for hospice care, child protection, support…
Estonia’s procedure for disbursing unemployment insurance benefits has changed as of 30 June 2023, ERR reports. The duration of the benefits now depends on the state of the labour market. The previous fixed framework did not consider the ease or difficulty of finding employment. Under the new system, the labour market situation will be reevaluated…