Latvijas Pasts to Require No State Compensation for Universal Postal Service in 2025, Unlike Estonia and Lithuania

Latvijas Pasts will cover the universal postal service (UPS) in 2025 without any state compensation, a unique outcome among Baltic states. Estonia's postal operator has requested €2.1 million for 2025, while Lithuania's operator recognized €4 million in compensation for 2023 and estimated losses of €5.2 million for 2024. Previously, Latvijas Pasts received €3.7 million for 2024, but cost-cutting measures have eliminated the need for compensation this year.

The company emphasizes that this result was achieved without downsizing services. It maintains 1,000 contact points, including over 500 postal workers, 150 physical service locations, and 440 parcel lockers. In comparison, Latvia's network density is similar to Lithuania's but higher than Estonia's, where the operator plans to reduce post offices from 35 to 19.

State support for press delivery also varies. In Latvia, the budget allocates €7.2 million for 2025, covering 77% of costs. Lithuania spends €12.4 million, while Estonia spends only €1.5 million, even though Estonia delivers twice the volume of press materials as Latvia.

Regarding competition, Latvijas Pasts objects to Estonia's plans to file a complaint with the European Commission. The Latvian operator is considering asking the Commission to review the postal markets of all three Baltic countries.