Meliss: Predecessor Sprūds ignored military's advice on weapons procurement

Russia's war in Ukraine has shown that ground forces cannot sustain long-term combat without powerful artillery. While Latvia's army already has self-propelled howitzers purchased from Austria, it also needs systems capable of firing farther and moving more quickly.

During Andris Sprūds' tenure as defence minister, the ministry decided to acquire Sweden's 'Archer' artillery howitzer systems. A letter of intent was signed with Sweden, and the government later approved the choice and allocated funding for the purchase. However, a formal contract for the acquisition still has not been signed.

New minister's criticism

Current Defence Minister Raivis Melnis told TV3's programme "Nekā personīga" that the 'Archer' offer was the more expensive of two options considered. He added that delivery of the systems would take several years, which he says would delay the development plans of Latvia's armed forces. Melnis also noted that this had not originally been the army's first choice.

Former minister pushes back

Andris Sprūds rejects all the accusations. He maintains that the situation is the opposite of what his successor claims, saying he based the decision to choose the 'Archer' system precisely on the army's own opinion and recommendations.

The dispute highlights disagreement between the former and current defence ministers over how the decision was made on one of the country's most significant recent military procurement projects — one that has yet to be completed.