Why did the resignation of Latvia's Defense Minister Andris Sprūds lead to the collapse of the government? Should any of the coalition partners have yielded to preserve the government? What steps can be expected from President Edgars Rinkēvičs? Who emerged as the winner and who as the loser in this situation? These and other topics are discussed by LSM journalist Juliāna Škagale with former president of Latvia Valdis Zatlers.
President Edgars Rinkēvičs will act cautiously: he will listen to all parliamentary factions and wait for the euphoria to subside – this assessment was given by former head of state Valdis Zatlers in an interview with LSM. Zatlers noted the order of consultations — the "Progressives" were invited first to meet with the president, while those considered responsible for the crisis were invited last. He expects that after the consultations, the tension will decrease and the president will make a balanced decision.
Zatlers does not consider the crisis to be catastrophic. "A government crisis is not the end of the world; it is a normal political process," he said. The cabinet has been in office for almost two years, and many opposition parties have felt the proximity of elections and the opportunity to come to power.
The only thing that truly worries the former president is the absence of a defense minister. In times of war and the rapid development of military technologies, primarily drones, a person with a military education is necessary in this position — someone capable of assessing the situation and explaining it clearly to citizens.
Zatlers names the "Progressives" as the main losers in this situation. According to him, the party made a serious political mistake by leaving the coalition and severing ties with their only obvious ally — "New Unity." "If you do not respect your only ally, who will respect you?" he said. In his assessment, the "Progressives" are guaranteed to find themselves in opposition — at least until the elections.
For "New Unity," on the contrary, the current situation may turn into an opportunity. Zatlers believes this is a chance for a reboot: to dedicate the remaining months to building a strong electoral platform.
Regarding the formation of a new government, the former president is cautious. He considers both options — a technical government or a new coalition — to be realistic. However, forming something stable a month before the parliamentary recess will be difficult: in June, the Saeima goes on vacation and will not return until September, when there will be less than a month until the elections. "Tomorrow we will have many more answers than today," Zatlers concluded.
Let us remind you that bb.lv has already quoted the opinion of another former president of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, regarding the current crisis of the Latvian government.
