On October 26, members of the Saeima’s Economic, Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee passed for the second reading amendments to the Law on Ports. These amendments provide for remaking the seaports of Riga and Ventspils into capital companies. Amendments were supported by seven members. One member voted against. The term for the submission of…
For the first time since the company’s foundation, AS Baltic Express (BE) has commenced transporting freights to the Freeport Riga. After signing the contract with SIA Alpha Osta, which operated from the Freeport of Riga, Baltic Express carried 15 freight cars with a total freight volume of more than 60,000 tons to Riga last month.…
Following the new and tight quarantine restrictions, the biggest food stores in Latvia – Lidl, Maxima and Rimi – are forced to change and adapt their operational strategy and open hours accordingly. From October 21 onward all Lidl stores in Latvia will stick to the following open hours: 06:30 – 19:00. As before, all food…
From November 1 onward all protected groups of users will receive increased benefits to help cover electricity bills. The government decided to go with this step to compensate the rapid growth of electricity prices, as confirmed by the Ministry of Economics. Amendments are intended to set electricity benefits for groups of residents at the following…
In September, actual unemployment rate in Latvia comprised 6.4%, down by 0.5% MoM. The actual unemployment rate in the country has not been so low since December 2019 (6.6%). The unemployment rate for females decreased by 0.3%, to 5.4% in September, but for males by 0.6%, to 7.5%, according to data of the Labour Force…
In January-September, freight volume handled in the Port of Liepaja climbed by 8% YoY, to 5.06 million tons, the Port Authority reported. Handling of grain and cereal products rose by 1.4%, to 1.92 million tons, while handling of anthracite – sank by 88.3%, to 28,800 tons, handling of building materials fell by 4.3%, to 549,200…
On October 14, Minister of Finances Janis Reirs submitted the state budget for 2022 to the Saeima to commence its review and approval process, as confirmed by the ministry. The delivery of the budget from the Ministry of Finances to the Saeima is a tradition that started in 1997 by the then Minister of Finances…