This week through manipulations the National Alliance (NA) was removed from the government formation process. Proposals from the Combined List (AS) to reduce the influence of individuals under sanctions were ignored. Instead there were ultimatum-like offers to join an unstable government and basically launder the influence coming from an oligarch under sanctions, as listed in a public announcement from AS.
Although the president invited the government formation process to commence from scratch and involving five parties, New Unity (JV) and their prime minister candidate decided to implement some secret agreement instead of working on the best possible government model to suit Latvia’s security interests.
AS believes this indicates that the hidden agreements and commitments to Aivars Lembergs, which were made during the presidential elections, proved to be more binding and unbreakable than the interests of national security and the reputation of the country.
At the same time, AS notes that this explains why JV and Progressive Party (PRO) are prepared to let go of their previously considered rock-hard and principled beliefs about the fight against corruption, oligarchs and state theft.
“Turns out it was just words this whole time. Secret agreements, interests and a burning desire to take posts in ministries and other institutions turned out more important,” as stressed in the public statement.
The party’s representatives explain that the Combined List was created to build a force that strengthens the Latvian state during geopolitical turmoil, the war in Ukraine and economic hardships, as well as to prevent the rise of populist and state security-threatening political forces.
“We are not prepared to drop our principles,” AS politicians say.
AS will not support an unstable government that weakens the country’s international reputation with Lembergs’ influence. “If JV and prime minister candidate Evika Siliņa are truly interested in strengthening Latvia’s security and development and if they are prepared to continue talks about national security and national interests to create the most appropriate government model, AS is open for the negotiation process,” AS members explains.
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