ZZS Recalls Welfare Minister Uzulnieks After Reports of Drunk Driving
The board of the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) has decided to recall Reinis Uzulnieks from the post of welfare minister after Latvian Television reported he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol. The decision was announced by ZZS press secretary Dace Līce.
The Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) convened an emergency board meeting and decided to recall Reinis Uzulnieks from his position as Latvia's welfare minister. The decision was announced by the party's press secretary, Dace Līce.
The move came after Latvian Television (LTV) reported that Uzulnieks had been caught driving a car while under the influence of alcohol. That report appears to have prompted the party leadership's swift response.
Party response
ZZS's board acted quickly, calling an extraordinary session to address the situation involving its appointed minister. The decision to remove Uzulnieks from office suggests the party sought to distance itself rapidly from an incident involving its representative in government.
It remains unclear exactly when the alleged drunk-driving incident took place or whether any legal proceedings have been initiated against Uzulnieks. Further details on how and when LTV obtained the information have not been made public.
The recall means Uzulnieks will no longer carry out the duties of welfare minister in the government. The question of who will replace him in the post remains open and will likely be addressed by the coalition and ZZS in the coming days.
