Latvian National Alliance political party has several suggestions for tasks in the foreign policy to be included in the government declaration. The party suggests, among other things, to include a commitment in the document that Latvia must not lower sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus, said Saeima deputy Rihards Kols.
The politician said that the workgroup he is in charge of was hard at work last week. Kols allowed that the foreign policy workgroup was the one of the first government declaration groups that completed its work on priority tasks and text of the declaration.
When asked about NA’s proposals, the Saeima deputy outlined several topics, such as continued orientation towards western values in Euro-Atlantic organisations, the European Union, as well as deeper integration into NATO.
NA also stresses that efforts should continue to increase NATO presence in Latvia and make the alliance the region’s defence umbrella of sorts.
Kols stressed that his party’s suggestions also provide for cooperation formats with Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), as well as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. One of the proposals applies to the support for Ukraine and having Russia withdraw its forces and Ukraine recover territories within its internationally recognised borders.
NA believes Ukraine should be provides will all forms of support – political, military, economical. Financial and humanitarian aid should be provided as well. The party plans to start working on the consolidated redaction of the government declaration on 21 November.
Last week parties forming the coalition in Latvia started working on the government declaration. Politicians continued working on parts of the declaration until the every end of the week.
On Sunday, 20 November, Arvils Ašeradens, who is one of New Unity’s leaders, said he is confident the declaration will be finished within term.
Saeima speaker Edvards Smiltēns said work on the government declaration has remained has been intense for several days. Although opinions were actively exchanged on Sunday, 20 November, Smiltēns said he is confident certain sections of the declaration project would be completed by the end of the day.
According to the standing offer for parties’ responsibilities in regards to ministries, New Unity is to receive seven seats: the prime minister’s seat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Climate and Energy, as well as Ministry of Welfare.
The Combined List political party is to receive the 14th Saeima speaker’s seat, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Healthcare, as well as Ministry of Regional Development and Digitisation Affairs.
The National Alliance will get four ministries: Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Transport, as well as Ministry of Economics.
In accordance with this plan, coalition parties also have shared responsibility when it comes to the development of different sections of the government declaration.
AS member Andris Kulbergs mentioned in an interview to LTV that parties have yet to reach an agreement in regards to the distribution of responsibilities. At the same time, JV leader Krišjānis Kariņš and President Egils Levits announced after their meeting that in the last couple of days enormous progress has been made in regards to the tasks and responsibilities of the new coalition.
AS promised to present the two other parties with another memorandum. As member Uldis Pīlēns said this document could be called the 2nd memorandum. This document would reflect the next coalition’s tasks and financial commitments for the coming years. According to him, this would help speed up the government formation process.