Ilona Bērziņa, BNN
The declaration of the forming government came three days before the Saeima’s vote for Evika Siliņa’s proposed composition. Candidates for various ministries were announced only two days before the vote.
This is understandable. The shorter the time given to discuss the declaration and various ministers, the less criticism there will be. However, this does not mean everything is “fine and dandy”.
The declaration project containing Siliņa’s proposed Cabinet of Ministers is not surprising. The introduction – as usual for documents of this kind – details what a prosperous, safe and inclusive European country we will be and how sustainably we will develop. However, it lack specifics. Aside from the promise to complete the construction of the fence on the border with Belarus and Russia by the end of the year, everything else is a collection of clever, pretty and rounded phrases already familiar to Latvian residents.
But perhaps the government’s action plan will have everything neatly organised. We’ll see.
JV starts out with “old-timers” and three newcomers
The list of ministers in Siliņa’s proposed government – at least in regards to New Unity – is nothing new or surprising. All we can see are old-timers and three newcomers. Inga Bērziņa, who has a great deal of experience working in municipal administration, will be given the post of Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development. But some of the duties of this minister will soon go to the newly-formed Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment Protection. Rihards Kozlovskis will become Minister of the Interior again, and Hosams Abu Meri will become the new Minister of Health.
Kozlovskis previously served as Minister of the Interior in Valdis Dombrovskis’ and Laimdota Straujuma’s governments. After her resignation in 2016, Straujuma said she sees Kozlovskis as the candidate best suited for the post of Prime Minister.
Abu Meri, however, is a different story. He is experienced as a politician and those familiar with him say he is also a good doctor. But is this enough to pull the healthcare sector through the sea of crises? Latvian Health and Social Workers’ Union do not expect anything good from their sector ending up under New Unity.
They believe this will mean a continuation of the policy to starve the sector.
Progressive Party remains a dark horse
The Progressive Party, as the government’s “youngest brother” will get three ministries.
Andris Sprūds will become the new Minister of Defence. Just recently he had a rough time after his comment that “Russia has no intention of handing over Crimea. Crimea will de facto remain part of Russia.” The seat of the Minister of Culture will go to a yet unknown but culturally experienced Agnese Logina, who currently serves as a deputy of Riga City Council.
The seat of the Minister of Transport will go to the party’s Saeima faction leader and main spokesman Kaspars Brikšens. He entered politics in 2017 as one of the founders of Kustība Par! party. He also worked in the RB Rail management. He also has experience working as airBaltic airline’s vice council chairman. Will all this experience help him as Minister of Transport? We will see.
However, considering the scandals that involved the airline during Brikšens’ term, both in regards to procurement of aircraft and attraction of investors, he’s got some baggage.
Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) candidates – as though they came off a promotional poster
ZZS selected all of its 14th Saeima election period’s leaders for work in the government and the Saeima: Viktors Valainis, Uldis Augulis, Armands Krauze, Gunārs Kūtris and the recent newcomer Kaspars Melnis.
The latter had the most rapid career trajectory – from an opposition deputy with little to know experience behind the belt to a real minister. One may think from all this that the party demonstrates the ability to delegate the best and brightest! However, it may very well be the case that
this party’s reservists bench is really bloody short.
Environmental organisations don’t like Melnis very much. The ball is in Siliņa’s side of the field
ZZS will get the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment Protection, which doesn’t even exist at the moment. For the time being, the recently created Ministry of Climate and Energy is responsible for energy-related topics. Nevertheless, the fact that Kaspars Melnis is the chosen minister candidate has already caused a situation.
Ten months ago Melnis opposed the creation of the Ministry of Climate and Energy. According to him, this institution would only serve as a waste of resources. Now Latvian environmental organisations object to him as a candidate for the minister’s seat. A letter sent to Siliņa lists multiple arguments why this ministry should not go to ZZS and Melnis especially.
The question whether Siliņa will listen to arguments from environmental organisations. Environmental organisations’ concerns about risks that will appear if the aforementioned ministries go to ZZS should not be underestimated. The clash between industrial farming technologies and environmental interest will never be a minor issue the European Commission will ignore. This is where we need to ask: what was ZZS thinking when they proposed Melnis for the post?
Still, Melnis might have made a good Minister of Agriculture. His talk of the expected years of famine in agriculture and partial collapse of the dairy sector if nothing is done on a government level, as well as him being a member in the Association of Agricultural Statutory Societies indicates he has experience to qualify for the post of Minister of Agriculture.
However, one of ZZS’ heavyweights has already staked his claim here. This would be the party’s chairman Krauze. Last year he warned about the encroaching famine year and proposed declaring a state of emergency in agriculture.
Now it will be interesting to watch if Krauze manages to secure more support for the agriculture sector as minister. At the very least he may ensure the new government reports to the European Commission by the 30th of September that the country is prepared to allocate a specific amount to the agriculture sector to cover compensation for damages caused by low temperatures, drought and devastating hail. It is all simple in theory – if there is a dynamic and successful team work, there will be compensation amounts paid. If not, nothing to do – it’s not like it’s the first time Latvian farmers get screwed over.
But when it comes to Krauze, it is worth mentioning one risk factor – this is Aivars Lembergs’ defender. Yes, it is tiresome to keep looking looking for conspiracies in political corridors, and yet: was it not Krauze who said the following about US sanctions against Lembergs a year ago: “We have the Constitution. Latvia is an independent country and Latvia’s residents are not required to give in to foreign pressure.”
The parliamentary deputy, in the heat of the moment, perhaps, dared to send our country’s Trans-Atlantic allied three streets down the road. But if a minister maintains such a position, especially in the current geopolitical climate, it could spell trouble.
Valainis has a great opportunity to prepare support tools
The seat of the Minister of Economy will go to another member of ZZS, specifically the lead of the Saeima faction of ZZS and chairman of Latvian Farmers Association Viktors Valainis. Since he previously served as the Ministry of Economy parliamentary secretary, the choice seems logical.
But there is one question. In December 2022, when New Unity was first suggesting the idea of having a Ministry of Climate and Energy, Valainis said ZZS may take this thing to the Constitutional Court. Now, in an ironic turn of events, this ministry will end up in the hands of ZZS.
We will see Valainis’ success as Minister of Economy soon enough. In August he said it was complete negligence – the fact that there still are no support measures available to help reduce electricity bills. He also pointed to the astronomical profits earned by both Sadales tīkls JSC and Latvenergo JSC. The Ministry of Economy is a shareholder in Latvenergo, and Sadales tīkls part of this company. This is why Valainis will have all the freedom to look for political solutions to restrict the appetites of both of these companies.
“Universal soldier” Augulis
Uldis Augilis is suggested for the post of Minister of Welfare. This man can be called a universal soldier of sorts when it comes to work in the government. He was the Minister of Welfare in Valdis Dombrovskis’ first government, the Minister of Transport in Dombrovskis’ second government, then Minister of Welfare again in Laimdota Straujuma’s first and second government, and Minister of Transport again in Māris Kučinskis’ government.
Similarly to other well-known ZZS politicians, Augulis is associated with Lembergs in the eyes of the public. For example, there was talk that it was Lembergs’ direct influence that had Augulis jump from the post of Minister of Welfare to the influential Minister of Transport post in Dombrovskis’ second government. It is entirely possible that this is nothing more than baseless speculation. However, it is also possible that when Augulist served as Minister of Transport in Kučinskis’ government, the former managers of Latvian Shipping Company from “Lembergs’ camp” entered the management of companies under the ministry.
One lucky win for Gunārs Kūtris
The former chairman of the Constitutional Court Gunārs Kūtris entered politics as a member of Inguna Sudraba’s To Latvia from The Heart party. He was one of the founders of the party. It is worth mentioning that he stayed in this camp longer than most. When the party’s faction dissolved in the Saeima in January 2018, Kūtris announced that he has no plans to leave the party simply because the next Saeima elections were coming up.
“I promised voters to implement a specific political programme. I will not jump from place to place just because elections are coming up and that I need to find a better place to land. […] I dislike those who did just that,” he said. This commitment of his lasted for five months. In May he agreed to run in 13th Saeima elections from ZZS’ list and left To Latvia from The Heart entirely.
One interesting nuance: Kūtris agreed to run as candidate following the proposal from then a board member of ZZS, Latvian Green Party’s chairman Edgars Tavars. According to the latter, he [Kūtris] even said he is ready to tie his future to Latvian Green Party. But he was not elected to the 13th Saeima. A couple of years later he ran as candidate for the post of one of the judges in the Constitutional Court and was did not make it there either. Instead of LZP, he decided to stay with ZZS.
It seems Kūtris has drawn a lucky ticket. He has become not just a member of the Saeima – he has been proposed to become the Saeima speaker. To Latvia from the The Heart did also propose him as their prime minister candidate. However, not a month after the announcement, Kūtris said he will not run as candidate, saying: “I don’t have sufficient support from other Saeima factions.”
Also read: Latvian prime minister candidate announced agreed distribution of seats in new government