2025 in Latvia

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2025 Timeline of Latvian history

Events in the year 2025 in Latvia .

Incumbents

• President: Edgars Rinkēvičs
• Prime Minister: Evika Siliņa

Events

January

• 1 January – Latvia bans the sale and use of tobacco and nicotine products for those under 20 years of age, effectively on this date. ^[1]
• 1 January – A unified Public Broadcasting of Latvia begins operations following the merger of Latvian Radio and Latvian Television. ^[2]

February

• 8–9 February – Latvia, along with Estonia and Lithuania disconnect from the Russian electric grid and joins the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe. ^[3]
• 21 February – Prime Minister Evika Siliņa asks Ministers Kaspars Briškens, Anda Čakša, and Uldis Augulis to resign. ^[4]

March

• 2 March – Flow , directed by Gints Zilbalodis, becomes the first Latvian film to win at the Academy Awards after being recognized as Best Animated Feature. ^[5]
• 18 March – Latvia restricts traffic at its border crossings with Belarus and Russia to allow only motor vehicles to enter, citing an increase in refugees. ^[6]

April

• 16 April – The Saeima votes to withdraw Latvia from the Ottawa Treaty on Landmines. ^[7]

May

• 17 May – Latvia' s Tautumeitas finishes in 13th place at Eurovision 2025 in Switzerland with the single "Bur man laimi". ^[8]
• 23 May – Latvia accedes to the Outer Space Treaty. ^[9]

June

• 3 June – Latvia is elected to a rotating seat at the United Nations Security Council for the first time. ^[10]
• 7 June – 2025 Latvian municipal elections

July

• 16 July – The mayor of Ogre, Egils Helmanis, is injured in a Russian drone strike in Ukraine during an official visit to provide aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. ^[11]

August

• 1 August – Stricter restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages came into effect - they were no longer allowed to be sold after 20:00, and on Sundays after 18:00. ^[12]
• 27 August–14 September – EuroBasket 2025 in Cyprus, Finland, Latvia and Poland ^{[13] [14] [15]}

September

• 6 September – Canadian Armed Forces Warrant Officer George Hohl, who went missing near the Ādaži military base three days earlier while deployed to Latvia under NATO's Operation Reassurance, is found dead. ^[16]
• 17 September – The State Security Service announces the arrest of a man on suspicion of spying for Russia. ^[17]

October

• 30 October – The Saeima votes 56–32 to exit the Istanbul Convention, which combats domestic violence and violence against women. If Latvia leaves, it would make them the first European Union member to quit the treaty. ^{[18] [19]}

November

• 3 November – Authorities announce the arrest of a Latvian national on suspicion of spying for Russia. ^[20]
• 6 November – At least 10,000 people protested at Dome Square in Old Riga against Latvia's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.

Holidays

Further information: Public holidays in Latvia

Source: ^{[21] [22]}

• 1 January – New Year's Day
• 19 April – Good Friday
• 21 April – Easter Monday
• 1 May – Labour Day
• 4 May – Restoration of Independence Day
• 23 June – Midsummer
• 24 June – St. John's Day
• 18 November – Independence Day
• 24 December – Christmas Eve
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day
• 31 December – New Year's Eve

Art and entertainment

• List of Latvian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

Deaths

• 27 January – Jānis Peters  [ lv ], 85, poet, publicist, diplomat.
• 1 May – Andrejs Prohorenkovs, 48, footballer.
• 6 October – Ziedonis Čevers, 65, politician.
• 17 November – Kārlis Bardelis  [ lv ], 40, adventurer and world traveler, six-time Guinness World Record holder. ^[23]

See also

• 2025 in the European Union
• 2025 in Europe

References

1. "2025. aastast alates ei tohi alla 20-aastased lätlased suitsetada". ERR (in Estonian). 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
2. "Saeima makes decision on merger of Latvian Television and Latvian Radio". Lsm.lv . 18 January 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
3. "Baltic states begin historic switch away from Russian power grid". BBC. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
4. "Premjere lūdz atkāpties ministrus Briškenu, Čakšu un Auguli". LSM (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-03-03.
5. "'Flow', Latvia's trailblazing animation, wins Oscar". France 24. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
6. "Latvia Restricts Border Crossings with Russia and Belarus". The Moscow Times. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
7. "Latvia's parliament agrees to exit landmines treaty amid potential Russia threat". LRT. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
8. "Eurovision 2025: Austria wins with last-minute vote, as the UK comes 19th". BBC. 2025-05-18. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
9. "SUCCESS: Latvia Joins the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies". LATVIAN TECHNOLOGY IN SPACE. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
10. "Latvia joins UN Security Council for first time". The Kyiv Independent. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
11. Anna Fratsyvir (2025-07-16). "Latvian mayor injured in Russian strike while delivering aid in Ukraine". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
12. "No 1. augusta alkoholu nedrīkstēs tirgot pēc plkst.20, svētdienās – pēc 18". www.lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-01-09.
13. "Latvia, Cyprus and Finland named FIBA EuroBasket 2025 hosts". 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
14. "Poland named FIBA EuroBasket 2025 co-host". fiba.basketball. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
15. "Draw to determine early designation of FIBA EuroBasket 2025 groups held in Ljubljana". fiba.basketball. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
16. Stone, Mike (2025-09-07). "Canadian military member found dead in Latvia after four-day search". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
17. "Latvia Arrests Man Accused of Spying for Russia". The Moscow Times. 2025-09-17. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
18. Peseckytė, Giedrė (2025-10-31). "Latvia's parliament votes to quit global treaty protecting women". Politico. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
19. "Latvian parliament votes to exit Istanbul Convention". LSM . 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
20. "A Latvian arrested for allegedly collecting information for Russia's intelligence". AP News . 3 November 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
21. "Latvia Public Holidays 2025". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
22. "About holidays, memories and notable days". Latvijas Vēstnesis. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
23. "Mūžībā devies pasaules apceļotājs Kārlis Bardelis". LSM.lv (in Latvian). 18 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.

External links

• Online calendar