Lithuania experiences information deficiency in airBaltic share discussions with Latvia, as per the minister's statement.
In a recent development, Latvia has extended an offer to Lithuania to buy up to a 10% stake in its national airline, airBaltic, for approximately €14 million. The same offer was also made to Estonia and Germany's Lufthansa [1][3]. However, Lithuania's Transport Minister Eugenijus Sabutis has stated that the offer lacks sufficient financial and operational details, and Lithuania has requested more comprehensive information before making a decision [1][3].
Currently, the Latvian government owns about 97.97% of airBaltic shares, with the remainder largely held by a Danish investment firm. Lufthansa has already acquired a 10% stake through a €14 million investment earlier in 2025 [1][4]. In August 2025, the Latvian government approved an additional injection of €14 million into airBaltic to strengthen the airline's finances ahead of a postponed initial public offering (IPO), now expected at the earliest in 2026 [2].
Estonia has declined the offer, and Lithuania is still evaluating it. Preliminary assessments by Lithuanian Airports and airBaltic colleagues are ongoing [1][3]. Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has emphasized the need for an evaluation of national interest before proceeding with the investment [1].
The first requirement from Lithuania is to receive normal financial and other relevant information about airBaltic. Sabutis mentioned that the Estonian side has made the contents of their offer public, but he couldn't confirm whether it matches their offer or not [1]. The Lithuanian Transport Minister also stated that Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports) and airBaltic in Latvia have been tasked with presenting their position on the situation [1].
Despite the offer being on the table, no further information about the negotiations between Lithuania and Latvia has been disclosed by Lithuanian Transport Minister Eugenijus Sabutis [1]. Sabutis also couldn't disclose the contents of the offer due to confidentiality [1].
In summary, while the offer to Lithuania stands, its acceptance is pending substantive financial disclosures and further governmental evaluation.
[1] Baltic Times, "Latvia Offers Lithuania Stake in airBaltic," July 2025. [2] Reuters, "Latvia to Boost airBaltic with €14 Million Ahead of IPO," August 2025. [3] LETA, "Lithuania Evaluates Latvia's Offer to Buy Stake in airBaltic," July 2025. [4] Bloomberg, "Lufthansa Buys Stake in Latvia's airBaltic for €14 Million," January 2025.
- The ongoing evaluation by Lithuania's government regarding the investment offer from Latvia to buy a stake in airBaltic is heavily hinged on the disclosure of detailed financial and operational data.
- This potential business deal between Lithuania and Latvia, involving airBaltic, extends beyond aviation and affects other domains such as finance, politics, and even general news, as the decision will impact both nation's economies.
