Vying for Belarus's IT elite
In view of the situation in Belarus and the repressive acts against prominent IT professionals, Latvia and Lithuania see the chance to attract companies that no longer feel safe there. Latvia, in particular, has low bureaucratic hurdles and, according to the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), some companies have already committed to relocating there. Nervous anticipation can be seen in the Baltic press.
Latvia is a good choice
Neatkarīgā is delighted to see that certain kinds of companies are choosing Latvia as their new location:
“This time companies that want to build a small Silicon Valley here and not just a pig farm for which they can't get permission at home are showing interest in Latvia. ... Latvia has good chances here because our country neighbours Belarus and has a similar everyday culture, because we are an EU member state with a sufficiently liberal market economy and a developed IT infrastructure. For Belarusian entrepreneurs, Latvia could be one of the first choices when it comes to relocation.”
New dynamics for Lithuania
Now Lithuania must step on the gas and try to attract Belarusian IT companies and specialists, urges Verslo žinios:
“If these companies relocate to Lithuania, it would invigorate our IT sector and make it more interesting for the rest of the world. It would also boost competition and increase the demand for programmers and certain degree programmes at university. All this would also stimulate consumption and life in the cities in general, because the new companies would also have an impact on other sectors: finance, real estate, gastronomy. And something else not to be sniffed at: it would also strengthen Lithuania's image as a dynamic young country.”