Kulbergs Criticises Kariņš's VIP Flights as a Choice, Not a Necessity
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has sharply criticised the special flights used by his predecessor Krišjānis Kariņš, writing on X. He says that in four months in office he has not seen a single situation requiring a private aircraft.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has criticised the special, or VIP, flights used during the tenure of his predecessor, Krišjānis Kariņš. In a post on the social network X, Kulbergs said that in his four months as prime minister he has not come across a single situation in which such flights would have been necessary.
Kulbergs' arguments
According to him, despite the many foreign visits, summits and conferences, all trips can be planned in advance using regular scheduled flights. "In four months I have not been able to find, even in theory, a need for Krišjānis Kariņš's VIP flights," the prime minister said.
Kulbergs believes the earlier use of private aircraft was not an objective necessity. In his view, it was "a choice, pride and a waste of state funds."
As an example, he cited his own recent flight to Brussels on a regular airBaltic service. By his account, the Estonian prime minister was also on board.
Background
The special flights used under Kariņš's government had already drawn the attention of law enforcement authorities. The State Audit Office, which checks how public money is spent, found in an audit at least 221,566 euros of state budget funds to have been used unlawfully.
Kulbergs' statement is his assessment of the previous government's practice, and it brings renewed attention to how officials plan and pay for foreign trips.
