Report: United List and National Alliance yet to agree on government deal
Talks on forming Latvia's new government between the United List and the National Alliance continue without an agreement. Prime minister candidate Kulbergs has reportedly postponed briefing his party's MPs until 16 November.
Informal talks on forming Latvia's new government are continuing between the United List (AS) and the National Alliance (NA) following the 15th Saeima elections. According to information obtained by the TV3 news programme "TV3 Ziņas", the negotiations are difficult and no agreement has been reached so far. The outcome will determine the make-up of the next Cabinet of Ministers.
The programme reported on Saturday that prime minister candidate Kulbergs has reportedly moved the briefing of AS members of the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, on the future government to Monday, 16 November.
Dispute over ministries
The programme learned unofficially that the main difficulty is the allocation of portfolios. The NA wants to be an equal partner and to head a ministry linked to the economy. It also insists that Jānis Dombrava remain interior minister. The names of ministerial candidates are not yet being made public.
However, "TV3 Ziņas" has learned unofficially that the candidate for foreign minister is career diplomat Ģirts Jaunzems, the ambassador to Uzbekistan, who is also Kulbergs's classmate.
How the talks have unfolded
This week Kulbergs told the TV3 programme "900 Seconds" that he could announce this week which political forces would form the next government, while ministerial candidates might become known next week. He hoped to agree on government partners and a cooperation model, but stressed that before any announcement the sides must have reached agreement and the documents must be ready for signing.
Kulbergs did not rush to form a government: talks with potential partners began almost a month after the election results were announced in early October. In late October he met representatives of the factions of the National Alliance, New Unity, the Progressives and Latvia First. No outline of a coalition emerged then. Later, representatives of the NA, New Unity and the Progressives were invited to talks, while Latvia First was not. Unofficial reports said the AS talks on a coalition were continuing with the NA.
Kulbergs hopes to form the new Cabinet before Latvia's national holiday.
