PM Kulbergs apologizes to Interior Minister Dombrava over immigration criticism
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has publicly apologized to Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava for harsh criticism he posted on social media regarding proposals to restrict immigration. The premier attributed his earlier remarks to tensions of the pre-election period.
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (AS) has apologized to Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava (NA) for sharp criticism he previously posted on social media concerning proposals to restrict immigration.
The disagreement between the two politicians emerged on Monday, August 31, following a coalition meeting where Dombrava's proposal on limiting immigration was discussed but not advanced for further review by the government. After the meeting, Kulbergs criticized both Dombrava and his National Alliance party on social media, accusing the minister of being overly loud in his public actions and questioning whether practical solutions were actually being pursued.
Apology after cabinet meeting
On Tuesday, September 1, following a government session, Kulbergs apologized to Dombrava for his earlier remarks. At the same time, the prime minister expressed frustration with the pre-election period, noting that political debates during this time often hinder the swift resolution of issues. He said he dislikes the pre-election period because it involves too much talking and too little actual work.
Nevertheless, Kulbergs voiced confidence that coalition partners would be able to reach agreement and continue their work together.
Dombrava's response
Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said that in any government bringing together parties with differing ideologies, some friction over particular issues is only logical. The prime minister acknowledged that the current tensions are also noticeably heightened by the pre-election period. Kulbergs added that, in his view, if the party Progresīvie were part of the coalition, internal clashes would occur on a daily basis.
