The decision by the Progressive Party to not join the government formation process will not benefit Latvia’s development, New Unity (JV) leader Krišjānis Kariņš told journalists on Tuesday, 25 October.
This was Latvian PM’s opinion on the refusal from the Progressive Party to accept his party’s proposal to sign a mutual agreement instead of entering the coalition. This agreement would have provided the Progressive Party at least one ministry seat.
The Progressive Party has many good ideas and the energy to accomplish them, which would have benefited the next government. The PM believes the best model for the new government would have been a four-party composition – New Unity, Combined List, National Alliance and Progressive Party. However, the two other coalition partners rejected this model.
This is why Kariņš offered Progressive Party a mutual a cooperation model with his party. However, the Progressive Party rejected this offer.
JV leader said this will not make the work of the coalition more difficult, but it is impossible.
«We will go forward with the three-party model,» said Kariņš.
When asked about the possibility of signing some agreement with the Progressive Party after the government has been approved, JV politician said this is a question that should be directed at that party. The PM said his party offered the Progressive Party at least one ministry from its sphere of influence. However, at the beginning of the week he found out from the media that the Progressive Party had rejected this offer.
JV leader also confirmed that his party is «always open to cooperation» if it promotes development of the country.
Kariņš said he hopes JV, AS and NA will sign the coalition’s cooperation memorandum on this week.
By then he hopes proposals from partners will have been integrated in the memorandum.
The cooperation memorandum covers political parties’ readiness to take responsibility for state development, nation’s welfare and represents a general agreement on the composition of the government and their joint goals – improvement of state security, economic growth and social justice and inclusiveness, JV representatives say.
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