Latvian MPs Criticize New Government: Sarcastic Remarks and Warnings

During the Saeima session where the new government was approved, several deputies voiced sharp criticism of both the behavior of incoming ministers and the composition of the coalition.

Antoņina Ņenaševa from the Progressives called on future ministers and the prime minister to be more attentive and listen to deputies' speeches before heading to their offices. She regretted that some ministers, including Andris Kulbergs, were absent. Ņenaševa wished the prime minister to review unnecessary spending without limiting essential services and expressed concerns about previous decisions on cartels and corruption.

Edmunds Zivtiņš from Latvia First compared the new coalition to a ball lightning that quickly enters and exits, leaving only destruction. He warned Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (Mr. Dombrava) not to neglect internal security and reminded that a minister is judged by whether they raised salaries for employees. Zivtiņš also addressed Kulbergs personally, asking him to work well because he will have a security detail while Zivtiņš himself has to ride the bus.

Ramona Petraviča from Latvia First noted that this is not a unique situation, recalling a previous government approval on the day of a hockey game. She criticized the United List for missing the chance to beat New Unity, which will now be a stone around the government's foot.

Līga Rasnača from the Progressives highlighted the gender imbalance in the cabinet, with only two female ministers. She warned that this could lead to neglect of sectors with high female employment, such as health and social care.

Viktors Valainis from ZZS, the new economy minister, sarcastically commented that the Progressives had demonstrated their decisiveness by replacing one Agnese with another, referring to internal party changes. He admitted he did not understand the reason for the change but considered it the party's choice.