NordenBladet – The climate and energy ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania discussed in Riga on Tuesday the details of the political agreement on the earlier synchronization of the Baltic states and that the synchronization with the continental European electricity system will take place in February 2025. According to the plan, the Baltic countries would officially notify the parties of Russia and Belarus’ withdrawal from the electricity system in August 2024, the climate ministry announced.
Next, the system managers of the three countries agree on the technical details, after which the prime ministers of the countries make the final political decision.
Estonian climate minister Kristen Michal said after the meeting that since Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, risks have also increased in ensuring the energy security of the Baltic states. “Today’s meeting of the ministers is a sign of the strong unified energy security policy of the Baltic states,” he emphasized.
“Although the Baltic States do not buy or sell electricity to Russia and do not pay Russia for being in the common frequency band, historically we are still physically connected to the electricity system of the aggressor country, and according to the current geopolitical situation, the Baltic States are ready to make joint efforts to move away from the Russian electricity system and move to the Continent – Joining the European system will proceed faster than originally planned,” added Climate Minister Michal.
NordenBladet – Price growth has slowed down every month in Latvia since January. Latvia’s June inflation was 7.9 percent. However, food and non-alcoholic beverages became more expensive by 14.4 percent in a year-on-year comparison. Compared to May, the price of food decreased by 0.1 percent.
Latvian experts said that although food prices will continue to fall, they will not return to pre-war levels.
“Prices should fall now. But to think that this fall will continue all the time, it will not happen. It is simply not possible,” said Inguna Gulbe, an expert in the field of agriculture.
Noris Kruzitis, head of the Union of Grocers, said that food inflation will fall by three to four percent in the coming months.
Guntis Gutmanis, head of the Cooperation Council of Agricultural Organizations, said that the war in Ukraine, the weather and what is happening on world markets have a big impact on food prices in Latvia. He pointed out that forecasts may not always hold true.
“If we remember what happened with the pandemic, when we just closed the borders and couldn’t bring anything in, when we look at the war in Ukraine, I think economic analysts may soon be out of a job because their predictions may or may not turn out to be true ,” Gutmanis said.
NordenBladet – The 73rd Berlin International Film Festival’s European Film Market is set to return as an in-person event in 2023, with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania being the focus of the “Countries in Focus” program.
It is the first time that several countries have joined forces since the program’s inception in 2017. The “Baltic Countries in Focus” program aims to provide a platform for the three countries to showcase their filmmaking, network with producers, distributors, and financiers, and present their extensive film history, recent films, and media content. The initiative was signed by Edith Sepp, CEO of the Estonian Film Institute, Laimonas Ubavičius, Director of the Lithuanian Film Centre, and Inga Blese, Deputy Director of the National Film Centre of Latvia, among other officials.
“In the history of the Berlinale, films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have consistently added interesting perspectives to the Berlinale programme. The three Baltic countries have consolidated their individual strengths by joining forces and thus have set a great example in Europe and beyond. Especially in times of increased collaboration, artists and industry professionals alike can learn from the innovative and collaborative Baltic approaches to culture,” says Mariette Rissenbeek, Executive Director of the Berlinale.
The event will take place from February 16 to 22, 2023, during the European Film Market of the Berlin International Film Festival.
NordenBladet – A recent poll conducted by the Levada Center in Moscow and commissioned by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has revealed that residents of Russia consider their relations with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to be strained, and view the Baltic countries as hostile and a threat to Russia. The poll, which surveyed 1,600 people and included focus group interviews in five cities, found that on a scale of 1-16, with 1 being the most positive and 16 being the most negative, respondents gave the Baltics a score of 4-8 in terms of the level of threat they pose to Russia.
The poll (here: levada.ru) also found that the general attitude towards Estonia has not changed much, but residents of Russia have become more critical of the Estonian government. Respondents in the focus group interviews were critical of the Baltic countries for joining NATO, suggesting that they have surrendered their independence in doing so, and that Estonians hate Russia and are rewriting World War II history and removing monuments.
In terms of relations with other western neighbors, respondents were the most positive about Belarus, scoring it 1-2 on the scale, with Finland and Norway receiving scores of 7-8. Relations with Ukraine received the maximum negative score of 16 from most respondents.
Additionally, the poll found that support for the war in Ukraine has fallen slightly, with 81% of respondents supporting the Russian invasion in March, falling to 75% in June, and 71% in December.
The presentation of the survey results was organized by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
NordenBladet —In their statements to commemorate the end of World War II, the Parliaments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania call on citizens and societies to jointly condemn crimes against humanity and to support peace, stability and democratic development in Europe and the whole world.
“War crimes must not be forgotten or forgiven. War is a crime against humanity,” President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Henn Põlluaas says in his Statement. “We condemn the attempts arising from the aggressive geopolitical ambitions of the Russian Federation to falsify and distort history, and to blame others for the crimes committed by Russia itself, including starting the war.”
Põlluaas believes that the cynical efforts of the Kremlin to reap political benefits from the sufferings of the victims and to incite mistrust and hatred between nations are bound to fail. “The proverb ‘truth rises, lies sink’ also holds true in international relations,” Põlluaas emphasised. “Unfortunately, the truth does not rise by itself; it needs to be supported by strengthening the global historical memory.”
Põlluaas pointed out that when we commemorated the victims of World War II, we protected authentic historical memory. “It is our duty to uphold authentic historical memory so that the crimes of totalitarian regimes are not forgotten, and to fight against all attempts to falsify history. Knowledge of historical truth helps stand against the threats to democracy and the right to self-determination of peoples,” Põlluaas said.
NordenBladet – The GDP of Norway ranks as the second largest in the world. Back in 2017, Norway’s GDP registered as 74,571 USD and 2018 by Worls Bank report Norway was the richest.
By looking at the GDP per capita, or gross domestic product per capita, of each country around the globe, it is possible to rank countries based on wealth and then compare them to each other. From there, you can determine which countries are wealthiest and then list the countries in descending order, from richest to poorest. Here is the conclusive list of the top fifty richest countries in the world, starting with the wealthiest country… (The Nordic countries are highlighted in blod letters)
TOP50
1. Luxembourg (GDP per capita: $119,719) 2. Norway (GDP per capita: $86,362)
3. Switzerland (GDP per capita: $83,832)
4. Ireland (GDP per capita: $81,477) 5. Iceland (GDP per capita: $78,181)
6. Qatar (GDP per capita: $65,062)
7. The United States of America (GDP per capita: $64,906) 8. Denmark (GDP per capita: $63,434)
9. Singapore (GDP per capita: $62,690)
10. Australia (GDP per capita: $58,824) 11. Sweden (GDP per capita: $57,945)
12. The Netherlands (GDP per capita: $56,415)
13. Austria (GDP per capita: $54,606) 14. Finland (GDP per capita: $52,320)
15. Germany (GDP per capita: $51,642)
16. Hong Kong (GDP per capita: $50,216)
17. Belgium (GDP per capita: $49,095)
18. Canada (GDP per capita: $48,604)
19. France (GDP per capita: $45,586)
20. The United Kingdom (GDP per capita: $45,491)
21. Japan (GDP per capita: $41,834)
22. The United Arab Emirates (GDP per capita: $38,961)
23. Italy (GDP per capita: $36,061)
24. Korea (GDP per capita: $33,495)
25. Spain (GDP per capita: $33,151)
26. Puerto Rico (GDP per capita: $32,705)
27. Malta (GDP per capita: $32,130)
28. Brunei (GDP per capita: $30,297)
29. Cyprus (GDP per capita: $29,224)
30. Kuwait (GDP per capita: $28,394)
31. Slovenia (GDP per capita: $28,247)
32. Taiwan (GDP per capita: $26,309)
33. Bahrain (GDP per capita: $26,083)
34. The Czech Republic (GDP per capita: $25,468)
35. Portugal (GDP per capita: $24,312) 36. Estonia (GDP per capita: $24,043)
37. Saudi Arabia (GDP per capita: $22,368)
38. Slovakia (GDP per capita: $21,278)
39. Greece (GDP per capita: $21,274) 40. Lithuania (GDP per capita: $20,644) 41. Latvia (GDP per capita: $18,861)
42. Trinidad and Tobago (GDP per capita: $18,018)
43. Uruguay (GDP per capita: $17,772)
44. Oman (GDP per capita: $17,668)
45. Chile (GDP per capita: $16,914)
46. Hungary (GDP per capita: $16,852)
47. Poland (GDP per capita: $16,782)
48. Panama (GDP per capita: $16,576)
49. Croatia (GDP per capita: $15,878)
50. Romania (GDP per capita: $13,229)
Location is a major main player in the overall wealth of a country. Third-world countries in Asia, for example, do not rank very well when GDP is the variable in consideration. If access to certain items and necessities is restricted, then people are already working with a strong disadvantage. Places that are not war-stricken or already burdened with a less-than-ideal economy are not set up to do well in the competition of gross domestic products between countries.
This is why, when looking at the list of the wealthiest countries in the world, you’ll find that places where trade or massive production is a main source of income rank higher on the list. The poorer countries are less involved in global trading, and they are more independent in the sense that their direct involvement in international affairs is lesser than the wealthier countries. This is because money and power are so naturally interwoven, which contributes to the overall wealth and GDP of a country.
Featured image: Vågan, Norway (Pexels/Tobias Bjørkli)
NordenBladet – According to the biggest remuneration survey in the Baltics, conducted by “Baltic Salary Survey”, this year the highest salary growth was recorder in Estonia. Lithuania and Latvia were not far behind, states the company’s press release.
“After surveying 850 companies and examining changes in remuneration, we can conclude that the monthly salary before taxes this year in Lithuania grew for 81.8% of the surveyed employees and, on average, increased by 7.7%, while the annual salary, including the bonuses – by 10.5%. From a pure statistical standpoint, Latvia slightly overtook us – there was a higher increase in the annual remuneration there, but, as in Estonia, a smaller number of employees experienced it”, – says Povilas Blusius, a representative of “Baltic Salary Survey”, and adds, that these general growth trends are often a good reflection of the general economic health of the country, but various other and more precise indicators should be used when discussing the real increase in compensation levels.
Fastest growth recorded in Estonia
Even though in Latvia and Estonia the proportions of employees that experienced the salary growth were lower than in Lithuania, the increases were higher. In Latvia, 71% of the surveyed employees received higher annual salaries compared to last year’s, with an average increase of 11%. In Estonia, remuneration grew for 73% of the incumbents and, on average, increased by 13%.
The general salary growth trends can be strongly influenced by the changes in the sample of the surveyed employees. As more and more organizations participate in the survey each year, the sample changes, which can often dilute the statistics. Because of that, “Baltic Salary Survey” also calculates the changes for the so-called unchanged sample – those employees who have not changed their position during this year and did not receive promotions. The annual salary in Lithuania for the unchanged sample increased by 8.8%, also, the payout of bonuses was more popular here than in other Baltic countries. In the neighboring Latvia, the growth of annual remuneration for the unchanged sample was much lower, only 3.6%. Estonia is leading the way in this regard as well, growth of monthly salary for the same sample was 6%, annual – 9%.
According to the compensation research specialist, such tendencies often depend or coincide with the general economic indicators of the country: inflation or GDP growth, their forecasts, the monetary policy or the prevailing market sentiments. For example, predictions about the upcoming economic crisis discourages businesses from hiring new workers or investing in the existing ones. The most dominant and fastest-growing sectors of the country, such as IT, construction or pharmaceuticals, can also have a much higher impact on the general statistics and overshadow more subtle changes.
The biggest tax burden falls on the Latvian employees
When comparing remuneration growth, it is important to consider the different tax systems in these countries. In Latvia, employees pay the largest part of their wages in taxes – 31 or 34 percent, which can increase to 42.4 percent for high-earners. Meanwhile in Lithuania there is a constant 24% tax tariff, therefore, even with the higher salary growth in Latvia, after the taxation the employees might have the same or even lower increase. In Estonia, the tax rate is slightly lower than in Lithuania – 23.6%, making it the cheapest in the Baltic States.
IT sector the most competitive salaries
According to the research, in all three Baltic States, no matter the level of the position, IT specialists of various kinds remain among the best paid professionals. The opposite is true with retail specialists – market indexes for this sector are among the lowest, meaning that employees earn lower than the market average.
This year, the highest growth of compensation was recorded in senior engineering positions, as well as in risk management. Rapid remuneration growth was not exclusive to these positions as some of the already competitive IT position saw significant increases – a large part of the organizations upped the monthly salaries of their information security specialists by nearly 14%. Meanwhile, salaries in retail sector stagnated. Some retail companies have successfully implemented new remuneration policies that, with a subsequent increase in bonus payouts, pushed the growth of the annual salary to about 2%.
According to the compensation specialists, wage growth usually reflects the demand for specialists of the specific profession. With the steady and consistent salary growth, system analysts continue to be among the most desired specialists in the Baltic States.
