Hostinger was among the first companies to join the initiative. It will pay participating employees 2,300 euros per month before tax, or almost 1,500 euros after tax, for the entire period of service.

“Our people bring not only knowledge and experience to work, but also their values. For most of our people, their commitment to Lithuania and contributing to its security occupies an important place in their lives, so we really want to empower them,” Hostinger head of human resources Sofija Čelutkienė said.

The initiative was launched by the Visuotinė gynyba association. Hostinger, Telia, Omnisend and the entire Tesonet group have joined it.

“Business has demonstrated that it can not only invest in its own resilience as a company and in preparing its employees, but also contribute to the state’s efforts and national defence,” association head Tomas Godliauskas said.

Godliauskas said an earlier public opinion survey showed that financial incentives were among the factors motivating people to perform military service.

The participating companies will also preserve employees’ jobs and additional benefits, such as supplementary health insurance, throughout their service.

“We understand that during such service, employees’ financial income decreases. We want employees who are considering contributing to the country’s defence to know that this reduction in income will not be an obstacle that makes them abandon that step,” Telia employee benefits head Inga Abraškevičė said.

Omnisend chief executive Rytis Laurinavičius said military service could create difficulties, particularly for people who have jobs, families and financial obligations. He said the companies hoped the financial incentive would encourage more people to serve.

The state also provides financial payments to conscripts performing mandatory initial military service. During the nine-month service, they receive 340 euros per month for personal expenses, followed by an incentive payment whose size depends on their service assessment.

The best-rated soldiers can receive about 9,000 euros in total. Including the employer’s financial incentive, an employee who completes the service could receive more than 20,000 euros.

Voluntary mandatory initial military service is available to people aged 18 to 39.

A recent Norstat survey commissioned by the Visuotinė gynyba association found that almost 80% of residents support universal conscription. Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander Raimundas Vaikšnoras has said the military will be ready for it by 2030.

The post Lithuanian tech firms offer pay boost to employees serving in military appeared first on Daily Baltic.

Game developers say implementing the proposed restrictions would be technically difficult.

Loot boxes are virtual chests that players can open directly or indirectly by paying money, receiving a virtual item or reward. Psychologists compare them to Kinder Surprise eggs because buyers know they will receive a toy but do not know which one.

Oleg Mackevičius, a psychologist and specialist at the Gambling Supervisory Authority, said the mechanism can encourage people to repeat the action because they do not know whether they will receive the result they want. Repeating it requires money.

According to psychologists, research shows a connection between participation in loot-box trading and opening and a higher likelihood of developing problem gambling. Inga Dapkūnaitė, a representative of a support group for relatives of gamblers, said some families had seen parents’ bank accounts emptied after children gained access to them.

Conservative MPs Daiva Ulbinaitė and Mindaugas Lingė are proposing that loot boxes first be defined in law and classified as harmful information for minors. They want children under 18 to be barred from buying loot boxes, while game producers and distributors would have to introduce age verification so that such games could be purchased only by adults.

Lingė said the mechanisms had not been regulated and therefore had not been subject to control. Ulbinaitė said one in four teenagers had already gambled for money, which she said indicated that gambling addiction was affecting an increasing number of children.

Some members of the governing coalition also support the proposal. Social Democratic MP Saulius Čaplinskas said action should be taken before the problem affected more children. He cited the example of 21,000 adults in Lithuania who had asked to be restricted from gambling and entering gambling venues.

Game developers agree that restricting access is morally justified but say it would be difficult to implement. Ada Mockutė-Jaime, marketing director at Nordcurrent, said mobile games containing loot boxes could be downloaded through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, where developers could not determine users’ ages.

She pointed to Belgium, where a similar model is already in place. According to Mockutė-Jaime, major companies there stopped sales altogether because platforms could not guarantee users’ ages, meaning the games were made unavailable to everyone rather than only to minors.

The post Lithuanian MPs seek to restrict minors’ access to video game loot boxes appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The event took place in the courtyard of Kuressaare Castle, where participants welcomed Estonian Olympic wrestlers Kristjan Palusalu and Voldemar Väli in the style of 1936.

That year helped put Estonian sport more prominently on the world map. Estonian wrestlers returned from the Berlin Olympics with three medals between them.

“A time journey is the best method for teaching not only history but all other subjects,” organiser Kadi Aavik said. “It is like the real thing. Especially in this age of artificial intelligence, it is important for students to experience what it was like to wear those clothes, have those hairstyles and eat that food.”

The students took part in activities associated with the period, including wrestling, formation drills and gymnastics. They also watched a fashion show and could visit Professor Paldrok, who was presented as a doctor.

The day ended with a party held in the style of 1936. Participants said they particularly liked the period’s clothing and jewellery.

“I would bring the clothing style into the present day because it was so elegant and beautiful,” participant Davier Anis said.

Participant Teele Ojamets said the style was fascinating, although people at the time may have missed telephones.

The event also had a personal connection for reporter Pukspuu. Veljo Kuivjõgi, whom the reporter interviewed, organised the reburial this year of Voldemar Väli from Stockholm to Kudjape Cemetery in Kuressaare.

The post Saaremaa students relive 1936 in Kuressaare appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The night will remain mostly clear under the influence of a high-pressure ridge arriving from the Baltic Sea. Coastal areas may see occasional showers, and fog will form in some inland places. By morning, the ridge will slowly retreat south, clouds will thicken and showers will move east from the islands across the mainland.

Westerly winds will blow at 2 to 8 metres per second, with gusts of up to 13 metres per second on the coast early in the night. Temperatures will range from 5 to 9 degrees Celsius, reaching up to 13 degrees on the coast.

Saturday morning will be mostly clear and dry inland, although fog is possible in places. The islands and western coast will have more cloud and occasional light rain. Winds will be light and from the west, with temperatures of 6 to 12 degrees, rising to 15 degrees on the coast.

During the day, cloud cover will increase from the west and showers will occur in many places. Winds will blow from the west at 3 to 9 metres per second, turning southwesterly on the coast in the afternoon, with gusts of up to 12 metres per second. Temperatures will rise to between 15 and 18 degrees.

Sunday will bring a mix of cloud and clearer intervals, with rain and a possibility of thunderstorms. The average temperature will be 16 degrees.

Daily average temperatures will rise to around 17 degrees next week. Monday will be cloudy with showers and local fog before noon, but clouds will thin and the chance of rain will decrease by evening. Tuesday will bring more clear skies, although light rain may still fall in places. Cloud will thicken again on Wednesday, bringing a rainy day.

The post Saturday forecast points to rain and thunderstorms appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The series is intended to help voters make critical and informed choices in the election for Latvia’s 15th Saeima by offering a comprehensive look at political parties’ programmes and proposals. It includes political forces that had at least 2% support in an SKDS public opinion poll at the beginning of August.

Each programme features the leaders of the electoral lists in five constituencies, with candidates ranked first, second or third. The episode also includes an analytical report on the party’s actual performance over the past four years, where applicable, and voters’ views of the party.

The series is hosted by LTV journalists Guntis Bojārs, Dāvids Freidenfelds, Gusts Kikusts and Sigurds Siliņš.

LSM also offers a Party Sorter, where voters can compare their views on different policy issues with the positions of the political forces contesting the election. The tool is intended to provide a compact overview of parties’ answers to questions on the political agenda. Its results should not be treated as an instruction or recommendation on which list to support.

The 15th Saeima election will take place on October 3, with polling stations open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will be able to cast their ballots at any polling station. Fourteen candidate lists have been submitted.

Early voting will be available at all polling stations in Latvia from September 28 until election day during designated hours. The newly elected 15th Saeima will hold its first sitting on November 3, when the mandate of the 14th Saeima will end.

The post LSM puts Greens and Farmers Union under election spotlight appeared first on Daily Baltic.

Michal said he had offered the portfolio to entrepreneur and former civil servant Taavi Kotka, who declined it. He did not say whether others had also turned down the offer or how many candidates were being considered.

“It is not excluded or unprecedented that, when there is very little time before the elections, someone with government experience takes responsibility for another area and someone else joins the government,” Michal said. He added that he was consulting people within and outside the party, including external experts, and would propose a solution on Tuesday morning.

Social Democratic Party leader Tanel Kiik said a new minister would need at least a couple of months to settle into the job, while parliamentary elections are due in six months. He said it would therefore be difficult to find someone who could quickly take charge of the minister’s responsibilities.

“The possibility of merging ministerial positions or making changes between ministries will certainly be considered,” Kiik said. Given the short time before the elections, he added, it was important for the minister to be well acquainted with the field, either through parliamentary work in the same area or previous ministerial experience.

Politicians have suggested that Economy Minister Erkki Keldo could take over the Climate Ministry, but Keldo called that an opposition spin. There has also been speculation about appointing a new female minister.

Tarmo Jüristo, head of the Liberal Citizen Foundation, said reshuffling ministerial positions was possible but would make matters more complicated. He said the minister would more likely be a well-known person with political experience, noting that leading a large and complex ministry for six months before the elections would not be easy, particularly with winter approaching and electricity and heating prices likely to return to the agenda.

Jüristo said the start of an active election campaign should be taken into account both in opposition statements and in the coalition’s actions.

The post Michal expects new energy and environment minister to be named Tuesday appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The residents pay their electricity bills but must maintain the line themselves. They have been trying for years to persuade Sadales tīkls, the electricity distribution company, to take it over.

Forester Aleksandrs Francs lives at one of the three properties. He began living there in 2011 to preserve his mother’s inheritance. The homes share one power line, which provides enough electricity for lighting and appliances such as a washing machine.

The storm at the end of August severely damaged the line. Francs and a friend began repairing it immediately, spending about 3,000 euros to restore power to his home and his neighbours’ homes. The repair is temporary and requires an additional pole and further work.

Francs said the line needs repairs about once a year. It has been municipal property since the 1990s, when a forestry operation was liquidated and the municipality took over the network without transferring it to an electricity company. Because the municipality has no specialist to maintain it, officials have allowed Francs to carry out the work while discussions with Sadales tīkls continue.

The post Local resident restores power line three weeks after Latvia storm appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The girl is expected to be discharged from hospital soon. Her father agreed to speak to Latvian Television on condition that the family remain anonymous.

“It is difficult for the child. We give her pain medication, but she cannot stand on her leg. It is painful and frightening,” he said. He added that his daughter repeatedly recalls how the dogs dragged her along the ground and asks why it happened.

The girl has wounds across her legs and in the groin area. One deep wound has resulted in tissue necrosis, leaving a black mark where the skin was. Doctors say the injuries are beginning to heal, but the family remains concerned about scarring, the length of her recovery and the future appearance of her legs.

The supervising prosecutor, Dainis Krasts, said the investigation was progressing without delay. The dogs are being observed for 10 days, after which authorities will decide what happens next.

To avoid further traumatising the children, a forensic medical assessment of the severity of their injuries will be based on emergency medical service and hospital records. All injuries were documented when the children were admitted to hospital, Krasts said.

Cynologist and dog-owner trainer Ivars Lielpēteris said nobody could guarantee that dogs that had attacked once would not attack again. He said responsibility rested entirely with the owner and warned that failing to train and socialise a dog could lead to similar behaviour.

The post Four-year-old dog attack victim faces deep wounds and trauma appeared first on Daily Baltic.

Voters who have not yet decided whom to support can consult candidate debates, LSM’s party comparison tool and parties’ published programmes. Artificial intelligence is another option, but the advice it provides may vary by language.

According to Eurostat data, more than 33 percent of internet users aged 16 to 74 in Latvia use artificial intelligence.

“It is useful because it can gather a lot of information. You see things from all sides and perspectives,” Nils said.

Edgars said AI could help users review parties’ records, while Oliver said it could make it easier to understand the choices because party websites contain so much information.

Martins and Matiss, who help companies learn to use artificial intelligence, examined how popular AI models respond to election-related questions. “I imagined that people my age might ask artificial intelligence whom to vote for in these elections. Then I thought: let’s see what different models recommend day after day when asked which party to vote for,” said Matiss Katanenko, co-founder of honeyb.ai.

The test focused on ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. The researchers said they set aside their own political preferences, used a methodology applied in Switzerland and Germany, and asked the models questions about the cost of living, security and defence, demographics, corruption and governance, healthcare, identity and language, and energy security.

LSM’s election section also provides analysis of parties, candidates and programmes, as well as detailed analysis of issues important to Latvian society and the parties’ positions on them.

The post AI gives different election advice in Latvian and Russian appeared first on Daily Baltic.

The attackers gained access to part of the information stored in the website’s database. An initial investigation indicates that fewer than one in 10 TSC customers were affected. The company has not disclosed the number of customers whose names, email addresses and telephone numbers may have been obtained, citing the investigation.

TSC acted immediately to stop the attack and temporarily shut down its website for security reasons. The website has since resumed operation. TSC chief executive Jānis Ducmanis said customers could contact the company through its website, while compensation would be considered on a case by case basis.

Cybersecurity company Cert.lv said TSC was not a critical infrastructure company. It said there was no information about the attacker. Cert.lv cybersecurity expert Kārlis Svilāns said the incident showed similarities with attacks in which systems automatically scan for vulnerable fields, highlighting the need to identify all externally accessible resources and respond quickly.

TSC said its cybersecurity team had conducted an in depth security audit of the website’s source code and fixed the vulnerabilities identified. The company also introduced new web protection mechanisms with improved detection of suspicious activity and reviewed the database structure to further reduce the amount of customer data stored.

Customers have been advised to be cautious of unexpected or suspicious emails, text messages and calls, particularly those demanding urgent action or information. They should not disclose passwords, access details, payment information or authentication codes.

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