Existing problems in the country’s healthcare sector will be resolved only if the Combined List (AS) and New Unity (JV) share responsibility as partners, said one of the chairmen of AS, Saeima speaker Edvards Smiltēns. After meeting with President Egils Levits, however, another representative of the party – Uldis Pīlēns – said his party may offer coalition parties to sign another memorandum.
Smiltēns said there are no signs of additional funding being diverted towards healthcare, adding that it is «quite the opposite». This is why progression of any reforms in the sector is extremely difficult. This is something JV spoke about multiple times. This party has multiple people that could, potentially, take responsibility over the healthcare sector, said the AS politician.
It will not be possible to resolve problems that persist in the sector if there is no direct involvement from JV prime minister and minister of finances, stressed the Saeima speaker. «We are not interested in seats – we want results,» said the politician.
In a situation when patients wait in long queues for services and when there are other problems left to accumulate in the sector, we need tangible support from the state, said Smiltēns. He explained that the text of the declaration should include specific solutions to allow JV and AS more forward in fixing the problems in the sector.
The politician said that in the previously signed memorandum all participating coalition partners supported JV leader Krišjānis Kariņš’s proposed proportionality principle. Parties also accepted the principle of continuity in regards to previously implemented reforms, said the AS politician.
Smiltēns was critical about the way negotiations commenced about the distribution of seats in the government, saying that the PM ‘produced from his pocket’ a piece of paper with the suggested distribution of seats in ministries and demanded an immediate «yes or no» answer.
AS political party asked Kariņš to explain the logic behind his suggested list. However, no clear answer was received.
Smiltēns also mentioned that one of the criteria the PM presented for potential ministers was public trust. This means candidates either have to be elected to the 14th Saeima or having been candidates in recent elections. When mentioned that even the people who were crossed from ballots could potentially become ministers, considering the suggestion from JV’s leader, AS politician said the PM gave a different explanation to this.
Smiltēns mentioned that since Kariņš’s statements change «every day», it is difficult to trace his real opinion on this topic.
After meeting with President Egils Levits, one of the founders of AS, businessman and architect Uldis Pīlēns said his party will suggest to partners to sign another memorandum. He said the document could be called memorandum 2 and it should reflect the next coalition’s objectives for the coming years and finances. This, according to Pīlēns, could help progress with the government’s creation.
He believes it is primarily important to create a document detailing objectives of the coalition and financial plans, so that it is possible to develop the government declaration. Then and only then will it be possible to discuss distribution of seats as proposed by JV leader Krišjānis Kariņš, as long as AS is confident the coalition is able to fulfil its objectives.
The president told journalists the situation is fine, because all involved sides are committed to continuing negotiations in order to prepare the government declaration. Levits referenced what was said before – this week he expects a new report from Kariņš and a draft of the government declaration.
«I am confident AS, too, wants to reach the government declaration,» said Levits.
«I believe there is a number of topics agreements have already been reached and a number of topics in which the possibility of agreement is still in the air,» said the president.
Pīlēns, too, admits the meeting with the president was productive, mentioning that until now negotiations were not smooth. He said there is the will to compose the government with the National Alliance and New Unity, compose the government declaration and action plan, and to distribute seats in the government.
«Our emphasis has always been on horizontal cooperation, especially in a time when potential budget digits may not be positive for residents or sectors. This is why we welcome the president’s idea regarding vice-minister posts where necessary,» said the AS representative.
Commenting on a statement from members of his party, Pīlēns added that there was a misunderstanding with the order of things.
AS has proposed from the start developing a declaration and action plan first and then discussing distribution of seats and picking candidates.
«Following the request from JV to speed up the process of distributing seats and spheres of influence, we now propose our own vision for horizontal cooperation. We have a difficult time ahead, and we will have to accept consolidation measures, unfortunately. Horizontal ties with vice-ministers ensuring cooperation would be a modern and European way of managing state administration. It will also help us decide on consolidation measures more easily,» explained the AS representative.
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