Latvia & nearby
Estonia plans cheaper flights between Tallinn and Saaremaa island
Estonia's Ministry of Regions and Agriculture plans to cut fares on the Tallinn–Kuressaare route and introduce a subscription for frequent flyers. Saaremaa Parish wants the plan to be more flexible.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 20:10
Latvia's data regulator has no information on Latvian travellers' data on Russian black market
Latvia's Data State Inspectorate says it has no information that Latvian travellers' personal data has reached a Russian black-market data platform. A Lithuanian media outlet earlier reported such a leak affecting Lithuanian travellers.
Delfi · 26 Oct, 19:12
Police search for missing minor Adriāna Cēsniece, born 2011, possibly in Valmiera
The State Police are searching for Adriāna Cēsniece, whose whereabouts have been unknown since 20 October. She may be in Valmiera.
Jauns.lv · 26 Oct, 19:11
Rail Baltica Delay Has Not Yet Affected Pärnu Property Market
Real estate agents in the Estonian city of Pärnu say news of the postponed Rail Baltica completion date is too fresh to move property prices. Businesses and residents hope a train link to Tallinn will open in 2032.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 19:11
Scotland marks 90 years since the loss of the Latvian steamship Helena Faulbaums
Latvians and local residents gathered on the Isle of Luing off Scotland's west coast to remember the 15 sailors who died when the Latvian steamship Helena Faulbaums sank in a storm 90 years ago. A strong storm forced repeated changes to the commemorative programme.
LSM · 26 Oct, 19:10
Dombrava does not plan to push state defence service in police and fire service
Latvian Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava of the National Alliance will not politically advance introducing the state defence service in the State Police and the fire and rescue service. The Interior Ministry had earlier prepared a report on the idea.
TVNET · 26 Oct, 18:12
Border Guard to Take In 100 Young People for State Defence Service From 2028
From 2028, young people will be able to complete the State Defence Service in Latvia's border guard as well, with 100 places for an 11-month term in Latgale. The border guard hopes some will stay on as border guards.
LSM · 26 Oct, 18:11
Calm weather to continue in Latvia as clouds mix with sunshine
Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre forecasts changeable cloud cover with some sunshine on Tuesday and Wednesday. The rest of the week is also expected to be calm, though rain is likely in almost all regions at some point.
BNN · 26 Oct, 18:10
Riga extends traffic restrictions at Pils Square over Torņa Street reconstruction
Because of the Torņa Street reconstruction in Riga, a section of Pils Square from Krišjāņa Valdemāra Street to Torņa Street will be closed to vehicles until 6 November, so drivers cannot exit the Vanšu Bridge toward Pils Square. At weekends the restrictions will overlap with tram track works near the National Theatre.
Jauns.lv · 26 Oct, 18:10
Latvia's Court Administration paid state compensation to 302 crime victims in six months
In the first six months of this year, Latvia's Court Administration paid state compensation totalling 1.18 million euros to 302 victims of crime. Since 19 May 2026 the maximum compensation has risen to six minimum monthly wages.
Delfi · 26 Oct, 18:09
Welfare Ministry proposes raising Latvia's minimum wage to €820 in 2027
Latvia's Ministry of Welfare proposes raising the monthly minimum wage from €780 to €820 starting in 2027. The draft regulations are open for coordination until 9 November, and the government must still make the final decision.
Diena · 26 Oct, 17:10
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Newly elected MP Mackevičs released as director of Biķernieki Primary School
Aleksejs Mackevičs, elected to the Saeima for the party "Latvija pirmajā vietā", was on Monday released from his post as director of Biķernieki Primary School.
TVNET · 26 Oct, 17:10
AI-generated fake claims Lithuania will make Ukrainian a second official language
A fake story is circulating on Lithuanian social media saying the president and foreign minister are considering making Ukrainian a second state language. An investigation by Delfi.lt found it was created with artificial intelligence tools.
Delfi · 26 Oct, 17:09
Estonia's Justice Ministry Wants to Restrict Access to Outdated Commercial Register Data
Estonia's Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs is seeking an expert to assess which Commercial Register data should be closed to public access to protect personal data. The ministry expects the analysis by the end of the year.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 17:09
Estonian grid operator Elering opens tender for crisis management center
Elering, the operator of Estonia's electricity and gas systems, has launched a tender to build a crisis management center in Tallinn. The construction is expected to cost €28.7 million excluding VAT.
ERR News · 26 Oct, 17:09
Traffic jams near Riga's Vanšu Bridge spark debate over upcoming reconstruction
A Riga resident's social media post about a four-kilometre drive taking 30 minutes near the Vanšu Bridge has prompted debate. The current congestion stems from other roadworks, not from the bridge rebuild, which is due to start in late 2027.
Latvijas Avīze · 26 Oct, 16:11
Estonia's queue for special care may outlast the lives of those waiting
More than 2,000 people in Estonia are waiting for special care services, and an extra €200 million is needed over four years. The head of Hoolekandeteenused warns that underfunding will cost the state more in the end.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 15:11
Dombrava orders review of whether residence permits for foreigners were obtained lawfully
Latvia's Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava has told the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and the Financial Intelligence Unit to check whether Dr. Nina Linde and two other people acted lawfully in helping dozens of third-country nationals obtain residence permits. The review follows publicly voiced suspicions of sham investments.
Diena · 26 Oct, 15:11
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Belarusian citizen detained in Valmiera municipality over transporting illegal border crossers
Border guards and the State Police detained a Belarusian citizen in Valmiera municipality, Latvia, on Sunday, 25 October. He is described as a transporter of people who crossed the state border illegally.
TVNET · 26 Oct, 15:10
Drier and Sunnier Weather Expected in Latvia on Tuesday
Forecasters say the weather in Latvia will become drier and sunnier on Tuesday. No precipitation is expected during the day, and temperatures will rise to +9..+13 degrees.
Latvijas Avīze · 26 Oct, 15:09
Lithuania Sees Rise in Counterfeit Tobacco Smuggling From Latvia as Balloon Cargoes Fall
Donatas Škarnulis, acting head of Lithuania's State Border Guard Service, said counterfeit tobacco products from Latvia now make up a larger share of smuggling than those from Belarus. Meanwhile, the number of cargoes sent by weather balloons has dropped sharply this year.
NRA · 26 Oct, 15:08
Forest expert in no rush to criticise tree felling needed for power line safety
Jānis Rozītis of the World Wide Fund for Nature in Latvia says widening protection zones around 110 kV power lines is a less contentious issue than other forest-related cases. The Saeima decided on the change in October.
LSM · 26 Oct, 14:11
CERT.lv: Hundreds of Attempts to Hack Latvian Websites Have All Failed
Latvian websites have faced hundreds of hacking attempts in recent days, but none has succeeded. Latvian Radio learned this from CERT.lv, the country's cyber incident response institution.
LSM · 26 Oct, 13:11
South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace signs air defence agreements with four Lithuanian companies
South Korean defence and aerospace firm Hanwha Aerospace has signed memorandums of understanding with four Lithuanian companies on producing and integrating air defence systems. The cooperation centres on a 40mm wheeled anti-aircraft gun system.
LRT English · 26 Oct, 13:10
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Several riders hospitalised with chemical burns after enduro event in Liepāja
Several participants were taken to hospital with chemical burns after an enduro off-road motorsport event on the grounds of the former Liepājas Metalurgs plant. Latvia's State Environmental Service has examined the site to find the cause.
TVNET · 26 Oct, 13:10
Enefit: Winter Electricity Prices Will Depend on Several Factors
A representative of electricity supplier Enefit says exchange prices usually swing more in winter, but higher bills are not guaranteed. Prices will result from the interplay of weather, the gas market, hydropower availability and import options.
NRA · 26 Oct, 13:09
Estonian MP Demands Foreign Minister Explain €13.5 Million Cost of Ukraine Recovery Conference
Varro Vooglaid, an Estonian MP with no parliamentary faction, has sent Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna a written inquiry about the €13.5 million cost of an international Ukraine recovery conference to be held in Tallinn in January 2027. He asks about the budget structure, funding sources and expected benefit to Estonia.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 12:12
Study: Drug users may not know which synthetic opioid they are taking
An Estonian study in Kohtla-Järve found that what people who inject drugs believe they took often differs from laboratory findings. Cyclorphine turned up in half of those who named fentanyl, nitazenes or "kange".
ERR News · 26 Oct, 12:11
Two years after Latvia's e-cigarette flavour ban, legal sales have shrunk and illegal market may reach half
Latvia's ban on flavoured e-cigarette liquids, in force since early 2025, has sharply cut legal sales. The author of an analysis argues the illegal market may account for about half of the total and that the rules should be reviewed.
Latvijas Avīze · 26 Oct, 12:09
Estonian musicians refuse to perform alongside Chinese orchestra with Russia links
The Estonian Festival Orchestra, led by conductor Paavo Järvi, called off a concert in China after learning of the local orchestra's ties to Russia. The cancellation could cost hundreds of thousands of euros.
ERR News · 26 Oct, 11:11
Enefit asks Narva to justify at what price heating becomes unaffordable for residents
Estonian energy company Enefit has asked the Narva city government to better substantiate its position on using shale oil for heating. The city considers a heat price of 74–80 euros per megawatt-hour excluding VAT optimal.
ERR (rus) · 26 Oct, 11:11
Latvian Daily Lists Nine Autumn Habits Typical of Latvians
The entertainment section of the Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avīze published a light feature on 26 October about nine things Latvians do once autumn arrives. The outlet says many readers will recognise themselves in the list.
Latvijas Avīze · 26 Oct, 11:11
Latvenergo Starts Offering Internet Services With Tet and Bite Latvija
Latvia's state energy company Latvenergo is launching optical and mobile internet under its Elektrum brand, working with telecom firm Tet and mobile operator Bite Latvija. Television services are planned for later.
Bauskas Dzīve · 26 Oct, 11:10
Erasmus+ Sports Games Held in Daugavpils: Preili Gymnasium Team Wins
The Erasmus+ Sports Games in Daugavpils brought together 22 teams from Latvian regions and international students. The winners, a team from Preili State Gymnasium, earned a trip to the European Parliament in Brussels.
Latgales Laiks · 26 Oct, 11:09
Vidzeme Firefighters Handle 20 Call-Outs Over the Weekend
The Vidzeme regional office of Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service received 20 calls in a 24-hour reporting period starting on 23 October, 10 of them for fires. Most blazes involved sheds and outbuildings, and one person was injured.
Auseklis (Limbaži) · 26 Oct, 10:12
Estonia allows shale oil instead of gas for winter heating, but bills may not fall
Estonia's Environmental Board has allowed two heat producers in Narva and Tallinn to replace natural gas with shale oil from 1 November to 30 April 2027. The fuel is cheaper, but consumers' costs may not drop.
ERR News · 26 Oct, 10:11