Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds of The Progressives (P) will be on leave from today until Sunday due to the funeral of a relative.
The minister confirmed to the LETA news agency that the time had come when, alongside his official duties, it was especially important to be with family. During these days, he will be briefly absent in Poland to accompany his children’s grandfather on his final journey.
Regardless of his location, Sprūds said he would continue fulfilling his core duties and remain in contact with colleagues at the ministry and the National Armed Forces of Latvia.
Information published in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis shows that Sprūds has been granted leave from today until Sunday.
During his absence, Atis Švinka of The Progressives, Latvia’s Transport Minister, has been appointed acting Defence Minister.
Questions regarding Sprūds’ suitability to continue performing his duties intensified after several unmanned aerial vehicles entered Latvian airspace from Russia on Thursday, one of which crashed in Rēzekne and damaged a fuel storage facility.
Later, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa of New Unity stated that she was dissatisfied with the delayed public warning about the incident.
Sprūds himself acknowledged that concerns about whether the emergency cell broadcast warning had been delayed were justified, and said an evaluation was needed to determine what had worked and what had not.
Opposition politicians subsequently called for Sprūds’ resignation.
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