Institute of Central Europe/Artykuły według: Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik

Autor: Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik

Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1306
4 March 2025
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Drone coalition: Latvia’s ambitions to boost security and international image

The international initiative to provide Ukraine with unmanned aerial systems, known as the Drone Coalition, was established on 14 February 2024 at the initiative of Latvia and currently comprises 18 countries. Its aim is to provide Ukraine with drones and assistance in training personnel in the use of new technologies. From Latvia’s point of view, the coalition is also an...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1275
20 February 2025
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Estonia: Controversy over changes to local elections law

Local elections will be held in Estonia in October 2025. The Riigikogu (Parliament) is currently considering a draft amendment to the Constitution that would restrict the right to vote in local elections for citizens of Russia, Belarus and/or persons of undetermined citizenship. While the aim of the amendment is to deprive citizens of hostile and aggressive states of the right to...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1246
20 February 2025
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

New dimensions of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation: advanced technologies for security and innovative economy

The new Lithuanian government announces the continuation of the strategic partnership with Poland to ensure regional security. In the context of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and the US presidential elections, this relationship could become even closer. In the coming years, the areas of Polish-Lithuanian cooperation will be expanded to include the innovative defence industry...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1210
30 September 2024
Marlena Gołębiowska | Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Estonia: the concept of a ‘personal state’

In 2024, Estonia, one of the world’s leaders in digitalisation, announced the next stage in the development of its public administration. The concept of a ‘personal state’ (Est. personale riik) is intended to elevate the relationship between citizens and the administration to a new level. The state aims not only to respond to citizens’ needs, but also to anticipate...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1204
24 September 2024
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Russians banned from buying property in states of the Baltic Sea region

The countries of the Baltic Sea region have been of interest to Russian entrepreneurs and investors for years due to their geographical proximity and dynamic economic development. As a result, some real estate located near strategic facilities is currently owned by Russians, posing a challenge to the security of the countries in the region. Bans on the purchase of land by citizens...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1179
2 August 2024
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Civil defence system in Estonia

The civil defence system in Estonia is part of a comprehensive model of security, in which society actively participates in the process of building the country’s resilience and is able to respond independently to military and non-military challenges. The peculiarities of the country’s civil defence system are: 1) the use of innovative communication solutions; 2) the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries Brief 1172
29 July 2024
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Estonia: priorities of the Kristen Michal’s government

On 23 July 2024, the government of Prime Minister Kristen Michal was sworn in at an extraordinary meeting of the Riigikogu after Kaja Kallas was nominated as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (“IEŚ Brief Commentaries”, no. 1167). Kristen Michal, Minister of Climate in Kaja Kallas’ government and previously Minister of Economy and Infrastructure...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1093
28 March 2024
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Shelters in Lithuania. Catching up

Over the last two years, due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, Lithuania has amended the law on crisis management and civil protection. A review of existing collective protection facilities was carried out and activities to create new shelters were intensified. The current infrastructure, adapted to provide temporary protection for the population in times of emergency or war,...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1074
11 March 2024
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Security as a priority in Polish-Lithuanian relations

Poland and Lithuania have significantly strengthened their political relations recently, as numerous official visits at the highest level have reflected. Lithuania was visited by the Foreign Minister of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, then President Andrzej Duda, Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Representatives of both countries have confirmed...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 924
10 August 2023
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik | Marlena Gołębiowska - Baltic Team

Lithuanian strategy towards the Indo-Pacific region

On July 5, the Lithuanian government adopted the Strategy for the Indo-Pacific region prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The document was developed in response to the need to ensure security and strengthen Lithuania’s international position as well as to tighten economic cooperation with partners from this region. At the same time, in the Strategy, Lithuania once again...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 922
7 August 2023
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Lithuanian security and the Wagner Group in Belarus

As a result of the Wagner Group mercenaries arriving in Belarus, fears have grown in Lithuania that these mercenaries may be used by the Belarusian regime, among other things, to support migrants illegally crossing the Lithuanian border. Therefore, the discussion on the introduction of stricter entry rules for Belarusian citizens has resumed. Currently, in the opinion of the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 871
15 June 2023
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Lithuanian-German military cooperation

Germany is an important partner of Lithuania in the field of security and defence. It also serves as Lithuania’s strategic ally both within NATO and the European Union. At the same time, Germany has made a significant contribution to regional security by investing in military infrastructure in Lithuania and supporting the modernisation of the Lithuanian army. Currently, the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 711
19 October 2022
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

The Orthodox Churches of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Baltic States’ attitude towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine

On May 18, 2022, the Lithuanian Prime Minister asked the Patriarch of Constantinople to separate the Lithuanian Orthodox Church from the Moscow Patriarchate. Then, on September 8, the Latvian Saeima adopted a law on the independence of the Latvian Orthodox Church. Moreover, on October 12, the head of the Estonian Orthodox Church was ordered by the Estonian government to condemn...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 597
17 May 2022
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

May 9: The Baltic states oppose the symbols of aggression

On May 9, which is celebrated by the Russian-speaking inhabitants of the Baltic states as the day of the Soviet Army’s victory over Nazism, no serious incidents or provocations occurred. Due to the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Baltic authorities have introduced a ban on displaying symbols of war inciting aggression and significantly limited the possibility...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 531
25 February 2022
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Baltic States’ solidarity with Ukraine

In recent weeks, and particularly after Russia's attack on Ukraine, issues concerning security in the region have become a priority in the public debate over the Baltic States. In response to the Russian aggression, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia expressed solidarity and readiness to help Ukraine and made an attempt to strengthen their own security. The Baltic States may also be...

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Baltic Team

Fot. Paszport kovidowy
IEŚ Commentaries 462
27 October 2021
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

High incidence of COVID-19 cases in Latvia – diagnosis of the situation and analysis of the reasons

Latvia is currently the country with the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 population in the European Union (1,257 in the last 14 days; the EU average is 190; the other Baltic states – Lithuania and Estonia – are also at the top in terms of COVID-19 incidence, with respectively 1,163 and 1,087[1]). Over the past week, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has...

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Baltic Team

Fot. Sala Sejmu Łotwy
Komentarz 438
2 September 2021
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Latvia is preparing for the parliamentary elections in 2022

The municipal elections in Latvia, held in June 2021, have opened the informal election campaign season. Political activity of the candidates who intend to run in the parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held on October 1 next year, has increased. Their initiatives are undoubtedly influenced by the migration crisis and the uncertainty of political and social situations caused...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 389
19 May 2021
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Pandemics of social inequalities: status of national and ethnic minorities in Latvia and Estonia

In Latvia and Estonia the pandemic highlighted and deepened socio-economic inequalities due to nationality and ethnicity. The higher rates of COVID-19 among minorities may have resulted from limited access to high-quality health services and information in minority languages. In addition, the lower socio-economic status of the minorities compared to the titular communities,...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 330
10 February 2021
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Latvia: Social Discontent and a Decline in Trust in the Government

Negative emotions explosiveness in the society. Despite the relatively stable political and economic situation in Latvia since the announcement of a state of emergency (see „IEŚ Commentaries”, no. 308), imposed restrictions resulted in an increase of social discontent. A state of emergency was announced on November 9, 2020, and is planned to be in force till April 6,...

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