To help the government work more dynamically, Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš proposes giving National Alliance (NA) member Rihards Kols to take the seat of Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also proposes giving the Combined List (AS) the Ministry of Economy (EM) and New Unity (JV) the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development (VARAM).
This means rotating ministries among coalition partners, because JV is currently in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NA is in charge of EM and AS is in charge of VARAM.
The proposal also provides for JV taking over the Saeima’s National Defence Committee from NA.
The PM also suggested the three parties – JV, AS and NA – to sign a memorandum on multiple important government tasks.
If NA and AS refuse this proposal on the 10th of August, Kariņš said he may commence government-formation negotiations with the Union of Greens and Farmers and Progressive Party.
As previously reported, the PM mentioned in a past interview that he wants to expand the coalition to speed up reorganisation of the school network, improve the situation in healthcare and labour affairs, promote the movement of state capital companies’ shares to the exchange, as well as the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.
Currently the ruling coalition in Latvia consists of JV, NA and AS. However, after the state president’s elections, the PM commenced negotiations about the possible expansion of the coalition with the Union of Greens and Farmers and Progressive Party. The two other coalition partners – NA and AS – object to the coalition’s possible expansion.
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