LSM Talk Show Tackles airBaltic's Future, Rail Baltica Accountability and Labor Shortage

In the latest episode of LSM's Russian-language weekly review program "Ну и неделя!", journalist Roman Shmelev spoke with former Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis and engineer-economist Ģirts Greiškalns, who previously headed the Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia and now chairs the board of the Latvian Hydrogen Association.

airBaltic's situation

One of the central topics was the state's role in overseeing the airline airBaltic. The guests discussed whether greater state involvement in the company's affairs should be seen as unwarranted interference in business, or rather as a necessary response to a lack of oversight, and why it matters for the state to know what is happening inside the airline.

Rail Baltica responsibility

The conversation also addressed who bears responsibility for the implementation, or delays, of the Rail Baltica railway project.

Labor shortage

Participants further discussed Latvia's shortage of workers, considering what steps could and should be taken now to address it.

The program also touched on the topic of so-called golden visas and on the use of the Russian language in Latvian media.