Kulbergs Hoped for More Specific New Unity Proposals on Boosting the Economy
Prime ministerial candidate Andris Kulbergs said after a second round of talks with New Unity that he had expected more precise budget proposals. It remains unclear whether the two parties will join the same coalition.
Andris Kulbergs, the prime ministerial candidate from the United List (AS), said after a second round of talks with New Unity (JV) that its economic proposals lacked specifics. The two parties agree that Latvia's economy must be stimulated, but it is not yet known whether they could cooperate in the next coalition, which is being formed after the 15th Saeima (parliament) election.
Budget cuts and shared ideas
At a press conference after the meeting, Kulbergs said he had explained the state budget situation to JV. In his view, the country previously lived without financial discipline and cannot continue that way. Spending and major projects must be reviewed, and the economy needs a push. He summed up his approach as "save, economise and earn". According to Kulbergs, the budget needs serious cuts of up to 600 million euros a year.
The parties agreed on creating a Development Fund that would consolidate state-owned companies, and on introducing a state health insurance solution modelled on Estonia and Denmark. They also share the idea of using artificial intelligence in public administration, thereby reducing the number of public-sector employees.
Kulbergs nevertheless admitted he had expected JV's view on which budget items to cut and how the state could earn money. He said JV offered examples but not specifics.
JV's explanation
Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, head of the JV parliamentary group, said the party came with a concrete proposal for economic growth but did not present detailed budget consolidation proposals, because that topic requires dialogue. In her view, this was only the first conversation about the economy.
How coalition-building has gone
The election results were announced in early October, but Kulbergs began talks almost a month later. At the end of October he met representatives of the National Alliance, JV, the Progressives and Latvia First parliamentary groups, but no outline of a coalition emerged. Today he invited the National Alliance, JV and the Progressives, but not Latvia First. Kulbergs hopes to form the government by Latvia's national holiday.
