About: Latvia
Latvia’s president contracts COVID despite being vaccinated
Latvian President Egils Levits has contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated, his chief of staff said Thursday (14 October), as the Baltic country reported a new record for daily coronavirus cases.
Latvia declares emergency after surge in Covid cases
Latvia has declared a three-month state of emergency starting from Monday (11 October) following a surge in Covid-19 infections to record levels, as its vaccination rate remains one of the lowest in the EU.
Poland, Latvia worry over Russia’s war games on tense EU-Belarus border
Poland and Latvia expressed concern on Thursday (2 September) over Russia's looming military drills held jointly on Belarus' western border where the European Union accuses Minsk of pushing migrants over to put pressure on the bloc.
Latvians take to the water for distanced concerts
Latvians are taking to the country's waterways for a socially distanced musical experience this summer, boarding kayaks, dinghies and motor yachts to enjoy some music -- even if unvaccinated.
Latvia starts pushing back migrants at tense Belarus border
Latvian border guards turned back dozens of migrants into Belarus overnight under a new state of emergency designed to stem a flow of arrivals the European Union says is orchestrated by Minsk.
Latvia, Lithuania take emergency action over Belarus border
Latvia on Tuesday (10 August) declared a local state of emergency along its border with Belarus, as Lithuanian lawmakers approved the construction of a fence to stem an influx of illegal migrants.
Baltics step closer to plugging into EU power grid, ending dependence on Russia
Three EU Baltic states on Thursday (13 May) took a big step toward accessing the bloc's power grid, a move intended to end energy dependence on Russia dating back to the Soviet era.
Burns death of homophobia victim shocks Latvia
The death of a gay Latvian man this week after his clothes were soaked with fuel and lit on fire has shocked the country, with campaigners calling it a homophobic attack and accusing police of inaction.
The untapped green energy potential of the Baltic States
Offshore wind could not only propel the Baltics to the forefront of the energy transition, but also to the ranks of clean energy exporters, writes Lukas Trakimavičius.
Lithuania to start supplying LNG to Poland next year
Lithuanian state-controlled energy company Ignitis Group will start supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Poland next year when a new pipeline between the two countries comes online, its CEO said on Monday (1 March).
Latvia health minister fired in vaccine row
Latvia's prime minister on Tuesday (5 January) fired his health minister in a row over coronavirus vaccination policy, straining ties within the governing coalition.
Lukashenko closes borders with Poland and Lithuania, says he doesn’t want ‘war’
Belarus will close its borders with EU neighbours Poland and Lithuania and step up security measures at the Ukrainian frontier, President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday (17 September).
Baltic states ban Lukashenko amid crackdown on opposition
The Baltic states on Monday (31 August) banned embattled Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as he cracked down further on the opposition movement following another huge rally at the weekend.
EU code of practice on disinformation ‘insufficient and unsuitable,’ member states say
A coalition of EU member states have hit out at the bloc's efforts to stem the spread of disinformation, calling the self-regulatory framework currently in place "insufficient and unsuitable."
Baltics open Europe’s first pandemic ‘travel bubble’ as curbs ease
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia opened their borders to each other at the stroke of midnight, creating the first "travel bubble" within the European Union in a bid to jump-start economies broken down by the coronavirus pandemic.
Eastern Europeans want more EU funds for military mobility
The EU should provide more funds to enable faster movement of military forces across Europe, defence ministers from four eastern European member states said on Tuesday (10 March), two weeks before the bloc starts a new round of divisive talks over the next seven-year budget.
US to help secure Baltic energy grid against cyber-attacks
The United States and Baltic states on Sunday (6 October) agreed to beef up cooperation to protect the Baltic energy grid from cyber-attacks as they disconnect from the Russian electricity grid.
Fighting ‘fake news’ online: How soldiers in Latvia got fooled by bots
When NATO's Centre for Strategic Communication in Riga discovered how easy it was to dupe its soldiers online, it has started looking for ways of countering false information, which comes, in large part, from Russia. EURACTIV's media partner der Tagesspiegel reports.
Latvia might quit Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly as Russia returns
Latvia said Thursday (27 June) that lawmakers will vote next month on whether to suspend its participation in the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly after the rights body agreed to reinstate Russia.
Baltic power games in the ascendancy
Europe’s power politics are playing out more and more in the Baltic Sea, as the energy potential of the sea basin shifts more into the limelight.
The candidates’ cards on the table for hosting the EU Labour Authority
The European Commission published last week its assessment of what the four candidates offered for hosting the newly formed European Labour Agency. Now the ball is in the member states’ court and their decision will be known on 13 June. EURACTIV looked into the offers.
Ex-Soviet dissident favourite for Latvian president
The Latvian parliament will on Wednesday (29 May) choose the Baltic state's next president, with long-time European Court of Justice judge and former Soviet dissident Egils Levits the frontrunner.
EU country briefing: Latvia
Like for its fellow Baltic states Estonia and Lithuania, Latvia’s EU accession was a milestone for a country that used to be part of the Soviet Union until 1991.