Elections, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Society
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Thursday, 28.03.2024, 16:52
President of Latvia plans to meet with parties elected to 13th Saeima next Thursday and Friday
He told members of the press after a meeting with Prime Minister Maris
Kucinskis today that he will first meet with the parties which won the
fewest seats in the next parliament, and conclude his talks with the parties
which won the greatest number of seats.
The president said that he has given political parties time to meet with
one another to discuss the formation of the next government, and expects that
the parties will present to him next week possible government coalition models,
as well as their vision of the new government's work.
Vejonis added that it is important to him that the next coalition will
continue Latvia's current Euro-Atlantic course and foreign policy, and that he
must be confident that the new government makes no changes in this course.
''At the same time, we must continue to invest in our defense and make
sure that the defense budget will be no less than two percents of GDP. Also
important it to continue the necessary healthcare and education reforms,'' he
added.
Vejonis also said that the prime minister candidate, as well as
ministerial candidates, must also be able to obtain the necessary security
clearance to do their work.
Asked whether he could nominate Harmony
to form the next government, Vejonis said that this party has won elections in
the past but has not been capable of finding the necessary partners to form a
majority in parliament.
''The so-called Latvian parties have already said that they do not plan
on cooperating with Harmony, thus
they do not have a majority in parliament. I must be confident that the
potential prime minister candidate is capable of ensuring a majority in Saeima
and that his or her ministers are also able to obtain majority support,''
Vejonis said.