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Year 2020 Ushered in a Slew of Novelties for All Balts Border Point, Where Estonia, Lat- Months the Maximum Duration of Via and Russia Meet, and Luhamaa

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Year 2020 Ushered in a Slew of Novelties for All Balts Border Point, Where Estonia, Lat- Months the Maximum Duration of Via and Russia Meet, and Luhamaa January 28, 2020 – February 25, 2020 After a two-year journey that started1 in the fall of 2017 when the city council of Tartu voted to apply for being the European Capital of Culture for 2024, the official announcement they were awarded this prestigious distinction came on August 28 of 2019. Page 12 The Baltics’ independent news source since 1992 • www.baltictimes.com • January 28, 2020 – February 25, 2020 Vol. 22 #938 Lucas BALTIS Marina GENERALOVA OUR COMMENTARY Marcus HAGEKEIKEN Year 2020 ushered in a slew Look for The Baltic Times The New Year in the Baltics has Magazine 2020 ushered in dozens of novelties for all. The keenest observers counted Page 2 nearly a hundred changes in the of novelties for all Balts three Baltic state taxation, educa- LEGENDS OF POLITICS tion, health, salary and pension Meet Valdas Adamkus, systems and other fields. The Baltic ex-President of Lithuania Times reporters attempted to zero in on only those that will affect Pages 4–5 the daily lives of Estonians, Lithu- anians and Latvians the most. HOSPITALITY Smoke detectors offered Hotel industry expert on “Would you like to add a smoke the Baltic hotel market detector to your purchase?” Don’t be surprised to hear this question in Page 6 Latvian supermarkets in 2020. Start- ing January 1, every apartment in the country must be equipped with a CUISINE smoke alarm and every private home A new Italian bar/café must have a fire-extinguisher on top offers something new of that, as per the renewed Fire Safety Rules. These devices became one of Page 7 the best-selling products at the end of 2019, reports 220.lv, one of the larg- est online stores in Latvia. Although CHALLENGES AND the authorities have promised not OPPORTUNITIES to perform checks, people are eager Ignitis Group CEO Darius to comply with the new regulations. Other changes implemented in the Maikstenas reflects on beginning of the new decade in Lat- energy challenges via include a 3.3% increase in gaso- ed to receive a raise. A base salary decision has been made after mass The non-taxable minimum Page 8 line tax, higher salaries for teachers of a school teacher grows from 710 protests of healthcare practitioners which is applied to salaries below and doctors, reduction of unemploy- euros to 750 euros a month starting in November 2019. 1200 euros per month has grown ment benefits, and some other differ- in January 2020, and is supposed to An average doctor salary before from 230 to 300 euros — this ACKNOWLEDGMENT ences. grow by another 40 euros starting in tax was 1839 euros in 2018, reports change will affect 52% of Latvian Prof. Richard Ennals September. In the healthcare sector, State Revenue Service. The salary workers, forecasts the Cabinet of Salaries, pensions and medical residents will receive a 20% of an average cultural worker will Ministers, but people making un- receives a reward taxes Page 9 raise while salaries of other medical grow from 780 euros to 910 euros, der 600 euros per month will ben- This year teachers, cultural work- workers will grow by 10%, accord- a 16% increase. efit the most. ers and doctors in Latvia are expect- ing to the Ministry of Health. This Non-taxable minimum goes up Continued on page 2 CULTURE A major recognition of Estonia’s Tartu Latvia makes progress in tackling money laundering Page 12 TBT Staff mendations by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). LEISURE Latvia has made progress in strengthening its framework to tack- In line with MONEYVAL’s rules of procedure, country has reported What to do in the Baltics? le money laundering and terrorist fi- back on the progress it has made to nancing, finds the first enhanced fol- Pages 22–23 strengthen its AML/CFT framework. low-up report, published on January This follow-up report analyses 22 by the Committee of Experts on Latvia’s progress in addressing the the Evaluation of Anti-money Laun- technical compliance deficiencies Job opportunity dering Measures and the Financing identified in the mutual evaluation The Baltic Times is of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). report. looking for an advertising MONEYVAL decided that Lat- Reflecting this progress, MON- sales agent in the Baltics. via will remain in enhanced fol- EYVAL has re-rated Latvia on Rec- low-up process and will continue [email protected] ommendations 6 (targeted financial to report back on further progress sanctions related to terrorism and to strengthen its implementation terrorist financing), 7 (targeted of AML/CFT measures. financial sanctions related to pro- As a result of Latvia’s progress in ommendations originally rated as ing the adoption of its mutual eval- liferation), 8 (non-profit organisa- strengthening its framework to tack- “partially compliant” and one Rec- uation report, which assessed the tions), 10 (customer due diligence), le money laundering and terrorist ommendation originally rated as effectiveness of Latvia’s anti-money 22 (DNFBPs: customer due dili- financing since its mutual evaluation “largely compliant”. laundering and counter-terrorist fi- gence), 26 (regulation and supervi- report in July 2018, MONEYVAL Latvia was placed in an en- nancing (AML/CFT) measures and sion of financial institutions), EE: €1.60 LV: €1.42 LT: €1.59 has re-rated the country on ten Rec- hanced follow-up process, follow- their compliance with the Recom- Continued on page 4 2 BALTICS January 28, 2020 – February 25, 2020 January 28, 2020 – February 25, 2020 BALTICS 3 Continued from page 1 eastern border development will be launched this year. A 23.5-ki- Changes will also affect the un- lometer section between the triple employment benefits. Instead of 9 Year 2020 ushered in a slew of novelties for all Balts border point, where Estonia, Lat- months the maximum duration of via and Russia meet, and Luhamaa. these benefits will be reduced to 8 Minimum wage in Lithuania The Police and Border Guard months. The eligible person will be Board (PPA) estimates the con- entitled to 75% of the salary starting The minimum monthly wage struction will take three years. from the 3rd month of unemploy- from January 1 in Lithuania will ment, 50% of the salary for the 5th steep by 52 euros from 555 to 607 Pharmacy reform euros before the deduction of taxes, and 6th months and 45% for the 7th The commencement of 2020 bringing the take-home pay from and 8th months. In 2019, the unem- will reveal the fate of the contro- 396 to 437 euros. Around 156,000 ployment benefit was equal to 100% versial pharmacy reform. The Ri- people in Lithuania make the mini- for the first 4 months, 75% from 5th igikogu decided five years ago that When busy, the weather mum wage or less, the statistics say. to 6th month, and 50% for the fol- the pharmacy reform will enter outside the window lowing 3 months. Pensions and salaries into force on April 1, 2020. It was matters little Pension pillar affected With pension indexation being agreed that pharmaceutical whole- salers will not be allowed to own Linas JEGELEVICIUS Another major shift is the op- pegged in 2020 to growth of wag- pharmacies and that all pharma- The Baltic Times editor-in-chief portunity to inherit the 2nd pen- es, pensions this year will grow in cies must be owned (at least 51%) [email protected] sion pillar. Prior to 2020, this part Lithuania more than 8% as of Janu- of the retirement savings was trans- ary 1. The average monthly old-age by licensed pharmacists. There is still no snow and cold in the pension will reach 377 euros in the Baltics by the very end of January, which, ferred to the government in case Pension reform New Year, and it will amount to 399 for me, is a clear sign of climate change the contributor died before reach- The other major change in 2020 euros for seniors with mandatory ESTONIA: IMMIGRATION IS RISING across the globe and in the Baltics, too. ing the age of retirement. Current- is the pension reform. Render- LITHUANIA: DEATHS EXCEED BIRTHS working experience. The basic pay Personally, I do not miss snow al- ly, the principal has a choice and According to Statistics Estonia, the preliminary estimate of the population ing Estonia’s current mandatory rate for civil servants will edge up though the glittering of the dim street can either instruct to transfer these As of 1 January 2020, the population of Lithuania was estimated to be funded pension, the second pillar from 173 to 176 euros, meaning that of Estonia as of 1 January 2020 was 1,328,360, which is 3,540 persons more light-lit snow ridges I used to marvel at in savings to another person’s retire- voluntary. The Isamaa party be- 2,669,156 people. This is a decrease of -1.63 % (-44,201 people) compared around 300,000 state officials and my childhood is still vivid in my memories. ment fund, appoint a beneficiary to than at the same time a year ago. 13,900 children were born in Estonia in hind the reform expected the law civil servants will see their pay rise. Here at The Baltic Times we’ve been receive the money as a lump sum to population of 2,713,357 the year before. In 2019 the natural increase was to enter into force from January 1. Child benefit payments in 2020 2019, which is more than 400 fewer children than the year before. There quite busy for the last couple of months in a will, or leave everything as is However, the bill was entered into negative, as the number of deaths exceeded the number of live births by will go up from 50 to 60 euros, and were 15,390 deaths in 2019.
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