Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia [print sheet]
Last updated: 21/08/08
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are known as the Baltic States because of their position bordering the Baltic Sea. They all neighbour each other in the north-eastern corner of Europe, and share their borders with Russia, Poland and Belarus. Lithuania also borders the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. All three nations were formerly part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). They all joined the European Union as part of the 2004 expansion and have been enthusiastic participants in the EU since their membership.
Recent History
After the end of the World War II, the Baltic States were under Soviet control until they regained their independence in 1991. Since then, all three have worked towards membership of both the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). They achieved these goals in 2004.
Relations with Russia have dominated the politics of all three nations since their independence. Large numbers of immigrants from Russia and other former Soviet nations were not granted citizenship in either Estonia or Latvia. Although they had to improve their citizenship process in order to join the EU in 2004, a significant proportion of the population (10% of Estonians and 19% of Latvians) have still not been given these rights. Relations with Russia are critical to all three countries. Latvia and Lithuania separate Russia from the Kaliningrad enclave, which has led to border disputes.
The Baltic States were the first European nations to re-introduce a 'flat tax' system. Estonia introduced the flat tax in 1991 and Latvia and Lithuania followed in 1994. A flat tax system is one where everybody pays one tax rate regardless of income. It has since been adopted by several other Eastern European nations and Russia.
Government Structure
All three countries are republics and are representative parliamentary democracies. In Lithuania, the President is elected by popular vote along with the members of parliament. In Latvia and Estonia Parliament appoints the president after the election.
Lithuania's Head of State is President Valdas Adamkus. He has returned to serve a second term after the impeachment of President Rolandas Paksas in 2004. The Lithuanian parliament is called the Seimas. It has 141 members of which 71 are directly elected within single-member constituencies and the other 70 are elected nationally through proportional representation. The current government is a four-party minority coalition led by Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas.
Latvia's head of state is President Valdis Zatlers who was elected in 2007. The Latvian parliament has one chamber called the Saeima. It has 100 members elected by proportional representation. Since the New Era Party pulled out of the ruling coalition in April 2006, the current Prime Minister is Ivars Godmanis, who leads minority coalition of the People's Party (TP), the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Latvia First Party (LPP). He was nominated by his predecessor Aigars Kalvitis, who resigned following controversy over his dismissal of the head of the anti-corruption bureau.
The Estonian head of state is President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who represents Estonia in international relations. Political control lies with the Prime Minister, Andrus Ansip, who leads a minority coalition consisting of his centre-right Reform Party, the nationalist Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (PPRP) and the Social Democratic Party (SD). The Estonian parliament is called the Riigikoku and has 101 members, elected by proportional representation.
Relations with the EU
The Baltic States are all keen members of the EU project. Lithuania was the first state to ratify the failed EU Constitution in November 2004, Estonia ratified it on 9 May 2006 and Latvia ratified it on the same day that the Dutch voted 'no'. After France and the Netherlands' rejection of the EU Constitution, all three countries successfully ratified the replacement Lisbon Treaty in 2008.
Perhaps the biggest contribution that the Baltic States make to the EU is in relations with Russia, other former Soviet states and also the Nordic nations. They are members of several international bodies aimed at promoting regional cooperation, such as the Northern Dimension (with Russia, the Scandinavian nations and Iceland). The Baltic States also signed the Schengen Convention in May 2004, which allows for the abolition of systematic border controls between members, and were fully integrated into the Schengen area in December 2007.
Facts and Figures
- 91% of Lithuanians backed membership of the EU.
- The Baltic States have some of the highest GDP growth in European Union: In 2005, Estonian GDP grew by 7.2%, Latvia by 8.3% and Lithuania by 6.7%.
Technical Terms
Enclave: part of the territory of a state surrounded by other states.
Minority Coalition: a collection of parties that share government but do not form a majority in parliament
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