The Union of Greens and Farmers’ (ZZS) vote in the Saeima on withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention may indicate the influence of oligarchs, according to Andris Šuvajevs, head of the Progressives parliamentary faction.
Šuvajevs told LETA that the ZZS vote represented a serious breach of the coalition agreement, adding that this was not the first such deviation by ZZS.
The MP said that the Progressives will wait for Prime Minister Evika Siliņa’s (New Unity, JV) response. “In my view, this is also a matter of the Prime Minister’s self-respect — how she acts in a situation where a coalition party consistently votes together with opposition factions,” Šuvajevs noted.
He emphasized that this was not only about the Istanbul Convention: “The political winds here point, perhaps, to the return of oligarchic influence in Latvian politics,” he said.
“We are seeing a possible new axis emerging
between Ainārs Šlesers (Latvia First), the National Alliance, and perhaps also Aivars Lembergs,” Šuvajevs explained, noting that ZZS representatives had just demanded that Transport Minister Atis Švinka (United List) write off Ventspils port’s debts, otherwise they would not support the budget. In his view, this was a very clear ultimatum that must be evaluated in context.
“In my opinion, the Prime Minister faces an important decision at this moment,” Šuvajevs underlined.
As reported, Prime Minister Siliņa has also stated that ZZS’s vote to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention is a breach of the coalition agreement. After returning from Germany next Monday, she expects an explanation from ZZS and Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks.
Currently, New Unity holds 25 Saeima seats, ZZS has 16 deputies, while the Progressives have eight.
The United List controls 13 seats, the National Alliance 12, Latvia First and Stability! each have eight MPs, and there are also 10 independent deputies.
On Thursday, with support from ZZS — a member of the ruling coalition — the Saeima referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee an opposition initiative to denounce the Istanbul Convention, which would mean Latvia’s withdrawal from it.
A total of 55 MPs voted in favor of sending the bill to committee, while 33 voted against. Coalition deputies from New Unity and the Progressives opposed the bill, but ZZS deputies supported it.
The draft legislation, prepared by Latvia First, was signed by Linda Liepiņa (LPV), Ramona Petraviča (LPV), Aiva Vīksna (United List), Linda Matisone (United List), Jānis Vitenbergs (NA), Edvīns Šnore (NA), Jurģis Klotiņš (NA), Nauris Puntulis (NA), Ričards Šlesers (LPV), Ilze Stobova (LPV), Edmunds Zivtiņš (LPV), Maija Armaņeva (LPV), Mārcis Jencītis (LPV), and Kristaps Krištopans (LPV).
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence — the so-called Istanbul Convention —
entered into force in Latvia on the 1st of May of last year.
It obliges member states to implement coordinated policies to better protect women from all forms of violence, as well as both women and men from domestic violence. This includes comprehensive victim assistance and protection, crisis centers, 24-hour hotlines, specialized support services for victims of sexual violence, and measures to protect and support children who witness violence.
Read also: With ZZS support, Saeima refers opposition’s proposal to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention to Committee