PM Kulbergs: cabinet meetings drain me with bureaucracy

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (AS), a candidate for a seat in the 15th Saeima, sharply criticized the scale of bureaucracy in Latvia's public administration during an appearance on TV24's program "Runāsim atklāti!" He admitted that Cabinet of Ministers meetings take an emotional toll on him, describing a physical reaction to the bureaucratic clutter discussed in these sessions.

Kulbergs stressed that reducing bureaucracy cannot be achieved by one person alone — it requires clear political will and concrete action from the entire government. He believes the next Saeima must make cutting bureaucracy one of its top priorities, including a review of existing laws, the functions of public administration, and how responsibilities are divided among institutions.

Hundreds of laws need review

The prime minister said that between 200 and 300 laws need to be pushed through parliament to strip out unnecessary functions. He noted that Latvia has many strong, professional civil servants, but management needs to take on greater responsibility by introducing clear, measurable performance targets (KPIs), with the ability to dismiss underperforming staff rather than allowing institutions to become insular.

Aigars Rostovskis, president of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, asked whether fighting bureaucracy would remain a priority for Kulbergs if he stays on as prime minister after the election. Kulbergs replied that he cannot accomplish this alone, since coalition partners currently show little interest in the issue.

Asked about the role of Ombudsman Jānis Endziņš in tackling bureaucracy, Kulbergs said Endziņš handles good but relatively small matters, while larger-scale change requires real action coordinated between ministries. Andris Bite, president of the Employers' Confederation of Latvia, asked how such political will could be generated. Kulbergs responded that what's needed is someone who gets things done regardless of ratings, adding that his own approval ratings do not concern him.