Estonia: trade up in January 2022

Trade in Estonia grew by a third YoY in January, significantly boosted by a rise exports and imports and higher prices for mineral fuels and electricity, state agency Statistics Estonia reported. In January, Estonia’s exports of goods increased by 35% and imports by 36%. Exports of goods in January amounted to EUR 1.6 billion and…

Georgia: foreign exchange rates prove concerns about Lari “groundless”

The current foreign exchange rates show concerns about the Georgian lari depreciation are “groundless,” Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili has said. Khutsishvili asserted all sources of currency inflow in the country, including export and tourism, were “functional” and “growing”. “After an intervention, today’s official exchange rate has appreciated by around 8 tetri. The situation in…

Lithuania: government proposes social benefits for Ukrainian refugees

Lithuania’s Social Security Ministry has drafted a bill to offer social benefits for Ukrainian war refugees. “Those are extra social guarantees for people, in addition to the temporary protection mechanism,” Social Security and Labour Minister Monika Navickiene told MPs while presenting the draft amendments. Once a person is granted temporary protection in Lithuania, they will…

Moldova: government provides new mechanisms of backing business environment

Small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs will be able to easier access loans provided by commercial banks partners of the Organization for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Sector Development (ODIMM), the government’s communication and protocol department has reported. The Cabinet has approved amendments to the Law No. 179/2016 on small- and medium-sized enterprises, which will allow simplifying the…