Latvia & nearby
Valmiera to mark 30th anniversary of revived Simjūda autumn fair
On October 10, Valmiera will host its traditional Simjūda fair, celebrating 30 years since its revival in 1996. Around 350 vendors are expected, alongside a new flea market feature in Vecpuišu Park.
Valmieras Ziņas · 28 Sept, 09:41
National Alliance MP Butāns amends education details submitted to election commission
Latvian MP Artūrs Butāns changed his listed education from higher to secondary in official election documents after journalists questioned his Australian qualification, saying he never had the certificate formally recognized in Latvia.
Delfi · 28 Sept, 08:50
Latvian ministries to draft noise-regulation proposals by October 7
Following a Constitutional Court ruling that found entertainment noise regulation insufficient, several Latvian ministries agreed to submit proposals for changes to the Economics Ministry by October 7. The focus will be on amending cabinet regulations on noise assessment and management.
Bauskas Dzīve · 28 Sept, 08:49
Questions raised over Saeima MP Artūrs Butāns's stated education
Unclarities have emerged regarding the education that National Alliance MP Artūrs Butāns listed in the last three Saeima elections, according to information compiled by the LETA news agency and clarifications provided by the politician himself.
LSM (rus) · 28 Sept, 08:48
Latvian police search for missing 15-year-old Mārtiņš Klāvs Kāpostiņš in Kurzeme
State Police are appealing for public help to locate a boy born in 2011 who disappeared from his home in Rucava parish on September 25 and may be near the train station in Liepāja.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Sept, 08:47
Water supply to be cut off at several addresses in Ogre today
On Monday, September 28, water will be unavailable from 10:00 to 14:00 at several addresses on Lakstīgalu Street in Ogre due to the construction of a new connection at Dārza Street 33.
OgreNet · 28 Sept, 08:47
Latvia marks “Different Shoes Day” with concerts and public events
On September 25, five Latvian cities held events for the Welfare Ministry's social campaign “Different Shoes Day,” encouraging the public to understand and accept people with functional and mental disabilities. Now in its fourth year, the campaign carried the slogan “Step into another's shoes. Let's move forward together.”
Ziemeļlatvija · 28 Sept, 08:45
Kõlvart won't rule out government post, dodges question on returning as Tallinn mayor
Estonian Centre Party leader Mihhail Kõlvart declined to give a clear answer on whether he will become Tallinn's mayor in late 2027, saying what matters to him is influence over decisions rather than a specific title.
ERR (rus) · 28 Sept, 08:44
Ex-President Zatlers: Election campaign lacks passion to spark voter interest
Former President Valdis Zatlers said the campaign ahead of the upcoming Saeima elections lacks the emotional intensity needed to motivate voters to go to the polls.
LSM · 28 Sept, 08:42
Smiltene to host Great Autumn Festival on October 10 with four bands
The Smiltene Municipality Culture Centre will hold its Great Autumn Festival for the second year running on October 10, featuring bands Mākoņstūmēji, Ceļojums, Zelta Kniede and Dakota. Organizers report strong interest, with over 100 table reservation requests already received.
Ziemeļlatvija · 28 Sept, 07:49
Riga councillor: Latvian language must live in daily use, not just heritage
Riga city councillor Lauma Paegļkalna calls for actively using the Latvian language daily, citing consumer protection law amendments that took effect September 15 guaranteeing the right to service in the state language.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Sept, 07:48
Sunny weather expected in Latvia on Monday, air to warm up to +20°C
Forecasters predict mostly sunny weather across Latvia on Monday as morning fog clears, with air temperatures rising to +20 degrees.
Apollo.lv · 28 Sept, 07:46
Bauski State Gymnasium wins €5,000 for sports gear in national lottery
Bauski State Gymnasium has won €5,000 through the Latvian Olympic Committee's "Sporto visi" lottery after the draw's Lucky Point landed in Bauska. The money will fund sports equipment used daily by all students.
Bauskas Dzīve · 28 Sept, 07:45
Police seek public's help finding missing young man in Kurzeme
State Police are asking for help finding Mārtiņš Klāvs Kāpostiņš, born in 2011, who has been missing since leaving his home in Rucava parish. He may be in Liepāja.
Delfi · 28 Sept, 07:45
15th Saeima election week begins: voters can deposit ballots for safekeeping at any polling station
From Monday, September 28, to Friday, October 2, voters across Latvia can deposit their ballot for safekeeping at any of 933 polling stations, the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced.
LSM (rus) · 28 Sept, 07:45
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August storm damage repairs cost Latvia's grid operator over seven million euros
Latvian power distribution operator AS "Sadales tīkls" has spent roughly 7.3 million euros repairing damage caused by August storms, company representative Ilze Dimante told the LETA news agency.
TVNET · 28 Sept, 07:44
Police search for 25-year-old man missing from Rucava parish
Latvian State Police are asking for the public's help in finding 25-year-old Mārtiņš Klāvs Kāpostiņš, who left his home in Rucava parish on September 25 and has not returned since.
Jauns.lv · 28 Sept, 07:44
Latvia's climate policy shows progress alongside disputes over past four years
Over the past four years Latvia has made overall progress in climate and environmental policy, though areas where nature protection clashes with economic interests have seen uneven progress, disputes and litigation.
LSM · 28 Sept, 07:42
Pre-election review turns attention to less popular parties
A new pre-election analysis piece shifts focus to parties ranked lower in SKDS polls than those already represented in the Saeima or Riga City Council.
TVNET · 28 Sept, 06:49
Living on €213 a month: reader's disability pension highlights broader poverty among Latvia's elderly
A reader named Kalvis, who receives a €213 monthly disability pension after suffering three heart attacks, asks how anyone is expected to survive on such an income in Latvia. Statistics show nearly half of Latvia's pensioners aged 65 and over were at risk of poverty in 2024.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Sept, 06:46
Early voting opens in Bauska municipality's 23 polling stations ahead of Saeima election
From today through Friday, October 2, voters across Latvia — including at 23 polling stations in Bauska municipality — can deposit their ballots ahead of the 15th Saeima election, which takes place on Saturday, October 3.
Bauskas Dzīve · 28 Sept, 06:44
Latvia to see calm but gradually cooling weather this week
The new week in Latvia begins sunny and dry, turning cloudier midweek with scattered rain and fog, while temperatures range from +3 to nearly +20 degrees.
BNN · 28 Sept, 06:44
Ahead of Latvia's parliamentary election, politicians increasingly adopt influencer-style communication
Ahead of the October 3 Saeima election, Latvian politicians are increasingly communicating like social media influencers, even as political content faces looser transparency rules than commercial advertising online. The shift comes as Meta, Google and TikTok have restricted or banned paid political advertising across the EU since 2025.
Žurnāls Ir · 28 Sept, 06:44
How to properly store summer clothes so they last for years
As autumn arrives and summer clothes get packed away, environmental educators recommend reviewing your wardrobe before sorting anything for textile recycling. Latvian survey data shows people already pass on used clothing, though repairing it is still less common.
Zemgales Ziņas · 28 Sept, 06:43
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Bus route changes coming to Limbaži and Sigulda area from October 1
Latvia's Road Transport Directorate has announced that changes will take effect on October 1 in the regional bus route network segment covering the Limbaži and Sigulda area.
Apollo.lv · 28 Sept, 05:47
Advance voting begins ahead of Latvia's 15th Saeima election
Starting September 28, Latvian citizens can cast an early vote ahead of the October 3 Saeima election. Advance voting will run at set hours across polling stations over five days before election day.
LV portāls · 28 Sept, 05:45
Fog cuts visibility to 10 metres in parts of Latvia as air turns colder
Dense fog settled over much of Latvia overnight into Monday, especially in the east and along the Daugava, briefly cutting visibility to just 10 metres. It was also the coldest morning recorded since spring.
Bauskas Dzīve · 28 Sept, 05:41
Nine of 14 party lists for Saeima election include candidates facing criminal cases
A review by Latvian Television's "de facto" programme found that nine of the 14 party lists registered for the Saeima election include candidates who have been charged or face criminal proceedings, with the "Latvia First" party standing out most.
LSM · 28 Sept, 04:50
One of "Riga Waterfront" project's investors previously convicted of money laundering in Denmark
Latvian public broadcaster's "de facto" program revealed that one of the investors in Andrejsala's planned "Riga Waterfront" development, Dubai-based Syrian national Jowan Haji Osman, was convicted in Denmark in 2023 of laundering over eight million euros. Migration authorities have not disclosed whether he holds a Latvian residence permit.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Sept, 04:48
New Immigration Law in force, but dispute over "golden visas" continues
Although Latvia's new Immigration Law, drafted by parliament over more than four years, took effect in mid-September, the question of granting residence permits in exchange for investment — the so-called "golden visas" — remains unresolved.
LSM · 28 Sept, 03:49
Security service: pro-Kremlin networks step up activity ahead of Saeima elections
Latvian public television's "de facto" programme reports that pro-Kremlin information networks have become more active ahead of Latvia's parliamentary elections, with some content promoting a specific political force. The Constitution Protection Bureau confirms isolated influence attempts but no large-scale campaign so far.
LSM · 28 Sept, 02:50
Estonia's planned municipal funding reform could cost some local governments in its first year
Estonia plans to give municipalities more freedom over more than 120 million euros currently earmarked for specific purposes, but a new distribution formula could leave some local governments with less money in the reform's first year.
ERR (rus) · 28 Sept, 02:48
Video shows teenagers riding on the back bumper of a Riga bus
A social media video shows two teenagers riding on the rear bumper of a Riga public bus at night, sparking discussion about parental responsibility and traffic safety.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Sept, 02:48
Liepāja woman wins court battle against debt collector over long-forgotten loan
A woman from Liepāja has won a court case against one of the largest debt collection companies over a long-forgotten, unpaid loan, in a dispute centered on whether a computer screenshot counts as valid evidence.
Apollo.lv · 28 Sept, 02:48
Do workplace ethics codes bind employees outside working hours?
Latvia's State Labour Inspectorate explains that employees in unregulated professions must also follow employer-set ethics rules, but employers cannot unrestrictedly control workers' private lives outside work.
LV portāls · 28 Sept, 01:42
Amber Hunters on Latvia's Kurzeme Coast Warned About Dangerous "Fake Amber"
Liepāja resident and amber collector Ilze Vainovska warns that the autumn winds bringing real amber to Kurzeme's shores can also wash up white phosphorus, a hazardous substance that can ignite and cause severe burns.
TVNET · 28 Sept, 00:46