New Unity Ready to Talk Government, While Kulbergs Urges No Rush
Edmunds Jurēvics, head of the New Unity group in Latvia's parliament, said his party is ready to join talks on the next government once invited. Kulbergs, tasked with forming it, stresses that agreement on what to do must come before any division of posts.
Preparations for a new government are under way in Latvia after the elections to the 15th Saeima, the country's parliament. Edmunds Jurēvics, leader of the New Unity parliamentary group, said his party respects the initiative of election winner the United List (AS) to lead consultations and is ready to take part as soon as it receives an invitation. AS won 41 seats and became the largest political force in the new parliament.
No rush, no talk of posts
The task of forming the government was given to Kulbergs by President Edgars Rinkēvičs, following consultations with all the political forces elected to the Saeima. Kulbergs stressed that society expects change from the new parliament, so coalition talks should be thoughtful and unhurried.
At the end of last week he told the news agency LETA that work on a draft government declaration continues. A first version is being prepared and will later be handed to potential partners for review and negotiations. He said it is too early to name specific coalition partners or the format of the government. "First we must agree on what the government will do, and only then on who will do it," he said.
Priorities and possible formats
Kulbergs noted that voters gave a strong mandate for change. He named putting state finances in order, economic growth, strengthening national security and reforms in public administration as the priorities. Cooperation will be offered to those parties prepared to support such a programme.
Edgars Tavars, chair of the Latvian Green Party, which is part of AS, told LETA that potential partners will be judged on their readiness to agree on the work ahead and back the needed changes. He added that no cooperation format is ruled out for now, including a minority government.
Rinkēvičs has said he hopes significant progress in coalition building will be visible by early November, and that the government should ideally be formed by 18 November.
