Prime Minister Evika Silina will meet on Tuesday with Colonel Raivis Melnis, whom she has nominated for the position of Minister of Defense. The appointment is being discussed against the backdrop of a political conflict in the coalition and criticism following the incidents with drones in Latgale.
Silina's meeting with Melnis will take place at the Cabinet of Ministers. A press briefing is scheduled after the negotiations.
The Prime Minister intends to discuss defense policy priorities and further steps to strengthen the country's security with the candidate. The appointment of a new minister comes at a tense moment for the coalition — following the unexpected resignation of Andris Sprudds.
The events in Latgale related to drones became the formal reason for the personnel changes. Silina stated there were problems in the defense sector and reported that Sprudds had lost her trust.
At the same time, the situation quickly escalated into a political conflict within the coalition. The Progressive Party, represented by Sprudds, accused the Prime Minister of failing to responsibly lead the government and has not yet provided a clear answer on whether it will continue to work in the coalition.
What is important to understand is that the change of the Minister of Defense occurs against the backdrop of increased attention to security issues and the work of state structures. Any disagreements within the coalition in this area are currently attracting particularly high public interest.
The leadership of New Unity has not publicly explained how it plans to reduce tensions in relations with the Progressives. At the same time, Silina is ready to meet with the party's deputies along with the nominated candidate Melnis.
New Unity also states that the reasons for dissatisfaction with Sprudds' work have been accumulating for a long time. Among the complaints are high staff turnover in the Ministry of Defense and difficulties in interaction with the ministry's state secretaries.
Sprudds himself previously stated that he was resigning, taking political responsibility for the incidents with the drones. According to him, this was also to avoid involving the army in political processes.
It is expected that the future fate of the coalition will become clearer after Silina's meeting with the Progressives, scheduled for Wednesday.
