Šuvajevs: Next Coalition Must Not Depend on Šlesers' Votes

The next Latvian governing coalition should not depend on Šlesers' votes, according to Šuvajevs, a politician from the party Progresīvie (The Progressives). He spoke after talks with Andris Kulbergs of the United List (AS), who has been tasked with forming a new government following the start of the 15th Saeima, Latvia's parliament.

Šuvajevs said Progresīvie had stated this position in the talks and would keep maintaining it. Asked whether a reply had been received, he told reporters to ask AS, adding that the party had flagged the matter as important to it.

Role in government

Shuvajevs said Kulbergs had been asked whether Progresīvie's participation in the Cabinet of Ministers was still under serious consideration, and the answer was yes. He said both the party and the public expect clarity on how the government will be formed, so the same questions are not repeated every day.

Spending, green policy and forests

On spending cuts, Šuvajevs expressed confidence that public procurement could deliver the same results at lower cost. In his view, cuts of 5% or 10% are possible, but what matters most is whether the parliamentary factions can provide political backing. On the green course, Progresīvie said Latvia should keep meeting its commitments while looking for fair solutions. He named forest policy as one of the party's key issues, arguing that the current approach worsens the state budget and does not fit national climate goals.

Background

Kulbergs invited Progresīvie, New Unity (JV) and the National Alliance (NA) to talks. He hopes to present a model for the new cabinet by mid-November. Scenarios mentioned include AS with JV and NA, AS with NA only, or an AS minority government, which is widely expected to be backed by Latvija pirmajā vietā (Latvia First).