Current Pulse
Opinions
I am grateful to every Ukrainian family that understands the challenges of war and temperature and uses electricity sparingly – address by President Volodymyr...
I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
A few summaries for this day.
First, I would like to thank Japan for a very timely and much-needed decision...
Latvia
Saeima passes amendments introducing 20% advance tax for banks and nonbank lenders
The Saeima on Thursday passed in the final reading government-approved amendments to the Corporate Income Tax Law introducing a 20 percent advance income tax...
Estonia
Viking Line to introduce new pleasure cruise ship in Baltic Sea
In August, Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget presented a completely new joint investment in cruise traffic between Stockholm, Mariehamn and Visby.
Now it has been announced...
Lithuania
New Lithuanian basic school opens in Poland’s Suwalki
A new Lithuanian basic school is opening in the northeastern Polish town of Suwalki, which is home to a sizeable ethnic Lithuanian community.
The Education,...
Lithuania
Lithuanian President Nauseda will seek re-election
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced on Thursday his decision to seek re-election next year.
"I am determined and committed to continue the started work. I...
Estonia
Estonian govt to approve increase of minimum salary from next year – the minimum monthly wage for full-time employment will be 820 euros
The Estonian government on Thursday will confirm the increase in the minimum wage from the new year, which was agreed upon by the representatives...
Estonia
Sales of eco-friendly cars significantly increased – electric cars in up by 179 percent and hybrid cars grew by an 90 percent in November
Vehicle statistics by the Estonian Transport Administration show that the first registration of new passenger cars in November increased 27 percent compared to the...
Lithuania
Ryanair to fly from Kaunas to Berlin, Zadar, Pisa in 2024 summer season
Ireland's budget airline Ryanair is set to launch regular flights from Lithuania's second-biggest city of Kaunas to the German capital of Berlin, the Croatian...
Latvia
Regional minister authorized to revoke local councilor’s mandate for unjustified absence from council meetings
The Saeima on Wednesday passed in the final reading amendments to the Law on the Status of the Councilor of the Local Government Council...
Latvia
Support worth 30% of interest to be paid to mortgage borrowers next year
The Saeima on Wednesday passed in the final reading amendments enabling the provision of state support to mortgage borrowers in the amount of 30...
Latvia
Rinkevics would like to see more investment in science and research
Investments in science and research are an investment in Latvia's competitiveness, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday after...
Estonia
County bus routes to be extended to Latvia next summer: Valga-Valka, Viljandi-Valmiera, Voru-Aluksne etc.
The bus routes of several Estonian counties will be extended to Latvia next summer -- people living near the border would then have the...
Estonia
Estonian food authority: Chocolate containing fly agaric mushroom sold on Facebook
The Estonian Agriculture and Food Board warns that chocolate containing the fly agaric mushroom is being sold on Facebook, but poisonous mushrooms, including fly...
Lithuania
Hundreds of establishments in Lithuania receive bomb threats (expands)
Hundreds of establishments in Lithuania received bomb threats on Wednesday.
"Not only schools but various other establishments have received them. We have a preliminary figure...
Lithuania
Lithuanian parliament adopted the 2024 state budget – planned revenue 16.98 billion and expenditure 20.6 billion
The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday adopted the 2024 state budget after more than three hours of deliberations as 73 MPs voted in favor, 52...
Latvia
Latvijas Pasts to focus on operations at shopping centers
Latvijas Pasts national postal company will henceforth focus on operations at shopping centers, Latvijas Pasts CEO Beate Krauze-Cebotare said Tuesday in an interview on...
Estonia
Estonian schools to practice responding to bomb threat in virtual exercise
he Estonian Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Rescue Board and the Police and Border Guard Board are about...
Estonia
Guano Apes to return to Tallinn with anniversary concert
Next fall, on Nov. 24, German rock band Guano Apes is to perform in Tallinn.
Guano Apes' rise to fame began in the 90s with...
Estonia
Hesburger to start cooperation with 2 new delivery cos in Estonia
With the Estonian food delivery service provider Fudy ceasing its operations this month, the Finnish fast food chain Hesburger has decided to switch its...
Lithuania
People’s income growth outpaces inflation in Lithuania in Q3 – Sodra
People's income continued to rise in Lithuania the third quarter of this year, with the growth outpacing inflation, the latest figures from the social...
Lithuania
US Switchblade 600 combat drones to be delivered next year – Lithuanian DefMin
American Switchblade 600 combat drones will be delivered to Lithuania next year, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
Wahid Nawabi, CEO of AeroVironment, confirmed...
Estonia
Tallinn Christmas Market is open
Tallinn Christmas Market with a touch of a fairy tale will be held at the Town Hall Square of Tallinn. Everything is possible at...
Lithuania
Swedbank pays EUR 52.5 mln in bank solidarity levy, SEB pays EUR 34 mln
Swedbank and SEB, two of Lithuania's largest commercial banks, have paid 52.5 million and 34.1 million euros respectively the bank solidarity levy to the...
Latvia
Tallinn is the most popular destination for Latvian passengers from Riga – Lux Express
Tallinn is the most popular destination for Latvian passengers from Riga for the international passenger carrier Lux Express,
Aldis Kibens, Head of Baltic Business Development...
Latvia
40% of people in Latvia plan to spend up to EUR 100 on Christmas and New Year gifts – poll
The majority of Latvians, or 40 percent, plan to spend up to EUR 100 on Christmas and New Year gifts this year, representatives of...
Estonia
Estonia’s e-residency program has delivered over EUR 200 mln in state revenue
The Estonian e-residency program, which is celebrating its ninth anniversary on Friday, has seen its cumulative contribution to the national budget exceed 200 million...
Estonia
Lux Express to open Tallinn-Warsaw direct route
Starting Friday, Lux Express will operate a new daily direct service between Tallinn and Warsaw, one of the most important hubs for bus passengers...
Latvia
Latvian signs purchase order on procurement of air defense systems worth EUR 600 million
On November 30, Latvian Defense Ministry and German company Diehl Defence signed a purchase order on the procurement of the IRIS-T medium-range air defense...
Lithuania
Russia interested in opening Kaliningrad crossing, no proposals yet – Lithuanian MFA
Russia is interested in the possibility of opening the Dubki-Rambynas border crossing point but has not yet made any proposals to Lithuania, Lithuania's Foreign...
Lithuania
Veolia ordered to pay Vilnius EUR 83 million – arbitral court
Vilnius has won an international arbitration case against the French group Veolia and its subsidiary Vilniaus Energija (Vilnius Energy) as an arbitral court has...
Latvia
Bus traffic in Riga delayed for up to an hour amid heavy snowfall
Passenger buses in Riga are running up to 60 minutes late on Thursday due to heavy snowfall, Baiba Bartasevica-Feldmane, a spokeswoman for Rigas Satiksme...
Estonia
Scammers trying to gain entry to homes under guise of checking smoke detectors
The Estonian Rescue Board has received reports of scammers on the move attempting to gain entry to people's homes under the pretext of checking...
Estonia
Estonian court annuls extradition of crypto businessmen to US
The Tallinn Circuit Court on Wednesday annulled the decisions to extradite Estonian crypto businessmen Ivan Turogin and Sergei Potapenko, who are accused of an...
European Union
Driving disqualification in one EU country should be valid across EU
To make Europe’s roads safer Transport MEPs want driving disqualification decisions to apply in all EU member states and for more offences to trigger...
Lithuania
Ministry, trade unions back tighter recruitment of third-country nationals
The recruitment of third-country nationals should be tightened to attract more workers with higher added value, Vice Minister of Social Security and Labor Vytautas...
Latvia
Pasazieru Vilciens to rebrand to Vivi after receiving new trains
From today, when the first new electric trains manufactured by Skoda Vagonka are handed over to Pasazieru Vilciens, the company will gradually switch to...
Latvia
Gaso plans to increase tariffs for natural gas distribution services from next year
The natural gas distribution system operator Gaso has submitted to the Public Utilities Commission (SPRK) new tariffs for natural gas distribution services, which envisage...
Estonia
Estonia’s new car tax bill to increase registration fee for older vehicles
The Estonian Ministry of Finance has prepared a new bill on the motor vehicle tax, which takes less account of the age of the...
Estonia
EKRE leader says early elections the way out of impasse in Estonia
In a letter sent to the leaders of Estonia's political parties on Wednesday, Martin Helme, chairman of the opposition Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE),...
Interviews
Adven Baltics – new natural gas supply chains promise cheaper district heating prices in the coming winter than last year in Estonia
Journalist’s Ain Alvela interview with Juhan Aguraiuja, the head of Adven Baltics, which provides district heating services in Estonia and also in Latvia, Finland...
Lithuania
Gas prices for Lithuanian households may fall 4-7 cents from January – regulator
Natural gas prices for households in Lithuania may go down by 4-7 euro cents per cubic meter from January, compared to the price they...
Estonia
Circle K launches new automatic charging service in Estonia
Starting from Monday, all Circle K ultra-fast chargers across Estonia allow "plug and charge Autocharge" charging, a new convenient and easy way to charge...
Latvia
Parking fees could be raised in the center of Riga
Dzineta Innusa, CEO at Riga municipal public transport company Rigas Satiksme, is not ruling out that parking fees could be increased in Riga.
Parking fees...
Latvia
Latvia to be one of four hosts of men’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
Latvia will be one of four hosts of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024, FIBA said on Monday.
The other three...
Lithuania
Growing inflow of migrant workers poses threat for Lithuania’s security – 50,000 foreigners have come to work in Lithuania
The growing inflow of foreigners coming to Lithuania for work is a threat to Lithuania's security, Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite says, adding that newcomers...
Interviews
Allied support for Lithuanian division will depend on bilateral discussions – NATO admiral
NATO does not require the creation of a division in Lithuania, Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military Committee says, adding that allied support...
Latvia
Smart-ID can be used to access e-addresses and other services in future
In order to make electronic communication and document circulation with the state and local government institutions even more convenient, e-address and many other services...
Estonia
Elisa Estonia: Only quarter of employees go to office every week
Not going to the office for work, which became commonplace during the coronavirus crisis, has become a permanent phenomenon, statistics by telecom operator Elisa...
Latvia
A documentary about a Latvian’s 39-day cycling trip to Rome creates a huge buzz in Latvia
Latvian video artist Edgars Trankalis’ documentary “Rucava–Riga–Rome” has been released in Latvia. The film reveals in an exciting and inspiring way the adventures of the...
World
With an ace up its sleeve – the US Army designs a deck of cards to help tell friends from foes
Battlefields are high-stress, complex environments where decisions have to be made in a split second. In the fog of conflict, it’s not always easy...