Author: Dainis Lemešonoks, Ventspilnieks.lv
With the 14th Saeima elections closer and closer, Latvian Union of Farmers – the backbone of the parliament’s opposition party Union of Greens and Farmers – has suggested a never before seen discussion: should we work with Aivars Lembergs? This topic is made even more interesting, considering the April Fool’s «joke» by Latvian Farmers Union’s partner Liepaja Party, which very seriously proposed making its member Māris Kučinskis the official candidate of the Union of Greens and Farmers for the post of Prime Minister of Latvia. He was the head of the government in Latvia between 2016 and 2019.
Kučinskis himself said: this is only possible if ZZS does not run in elections together with the political party For Latvia and Ventspils, which is led by «a man with a controversial position about topics important for Latvia’s security». Newspaper Ventspilnieks.lv asked the chairman of Saeima’s National Security Committee to explain his «ultimatum» in more detail.
-Why did you suddenly become so categorical in your views?
-[…] Mr. Lembergs has returned to normal everyday life and politics. He has clearly said everything he thinks about Ukraine, NATO and many other topics. I believe the problem is not what this politician has said – what’s most important is if he truly believes in it. Even if Aivars Lembergs hadn’t said it, people who know him well are aware of his views. And this happens the moment we come to the discussion who would be the best candidate, the best leader in this election. The Green Party has one, but the name has not yet been announced. There is also Viktors Valainis from the farmers. Liepaja Party has picked me. My answer is not part of any political game – only pure emotions. I believe what Lembergs said has changed quite a lot, and I am not ready to represent ZZS with «baggage» like that.
The situation would have been completely different had Lembergs decided to leave politics altogether. However, the last couple of weeks there have been no such indications. We, ZZS partners, have no need for internal conflicts, and I’m not ready to get involved in them. Liepaja Party receives offers from all sides, but we, myself included, don’t want to leave this «boat» – ZZS. But I don’t hide my emotions.
-Is this announcement rooted in your previous experience? Perhaps it’s irrational payback from ZZS politicians to you as a prime minister or candidate prime minister in the 13th Saeima elections?
-He [Lembergs – author’s note] rather successfully wrote off results of the last Saeima elections as entirely my fault. He continues saying this even now. He claims he was the one who put ZZS together and that I am the one who nearly ruined it. But I have a different opinion: ZZS ran in elections as the crayfish, pike, and swan from the famous fable. Considering Lembergs’ influence on ZZS, the general opinion is what we have. But if this influence is so big, why doesn’t he run in elections as the party’s candidate prime minister, leader of the election campaign! Why are we even fighting over this among ourselves?
-Have you felt any other signs of jealousy from «the one and only prime minister candidate» Aivars Lembergs and his supporters during your government’s term or Saeima?
-Everyone makes mistakes, and I have always taken responsibility for my mistakes. I will never be a puppet who acts only when the puppet master pulls the strings. I am responsible before my colleagues, my team – I coordinate decisions, report to them, not some specific person. This causes a rather difficult experience…
-A question for a politician who experienced a long «orange period»: would you say the relationship Lembergs and lembergists is similar to what we observed in 2006 between Aigars Kalvītis’ and People’s Party founder Andris Šķēle? I remember that the Cloud Father was very worried his successor would make a much more successful prime minister, and so acted to «bury» him in the process. (As described by Jurģis Liepnieks, who essentially diagnosed Kalvītis with delusions of grandeur, which was the very thing that sunk him in the end).
-Well, those are two very different things. Šķēle was a legitimate prime minister and legitimate leader of the party. Aivars Lembergs is… is something of a ‘godfather’. He executes his policy differently. Without a doubt – he is gifted with a sharp mind, vision and abilities. This is why he has accomplished much of what he wanted. However, legally Lembergs remained as an informal leader for a long time. When Andris Šķēle said to step aside, he did it, and Kalvītis took the stage. But he started having problems not because Šķēle tried burying the prime minister. Problems can appear for any politician who gathers promoters in their office. This way politicians become ‘guarantors’. You need a team that helps you, not the team that caters to your whims. So there was no more Liepnieks, who liked saying what he thought. Maybe there was Šķēle hand in this – making it so that Jurģis was no longer the real head of the office.
I wasn’t dependent on Šķēle, or Lembergs during my term. I’ve worked in politics for 26 years now. And so I tell everyone who wants to enter, work and hang on in the political arena: always make sure you don’t owe anyone anything, so that you can afford to be neutral in conflicts of interests, and send grey cardinals and shadow bosses packing. If you become dependent on someone, you’re through. This is the cornerstone for all politicians of New Europe.
-What do you think about your chances of becoming prime minister again? We, Latvian voters, have this habit – especially in fat years – to repay parties and politicians with ungratefulness to then claim: well, these losers won’t get up again!
-We have passed the ball to ZZS side of the field, and I have no plans to bend to anyone. I carry my offer forward and fight for voters’ support. Yes, I won’t leave politics. At least not yet.
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