Karins plans to inform president about next government model on Thursday - Aseradens

RIGA - Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) plans to inform President Edgars Rinkevics about a possible new government model next week on August 17, Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens (New Unity) told members of the press today after a meeting between New Unity, the Progressives and the Union of Greens and Farmers.

As New Unity politician and Welfare Minister Eviks Silina emphasized, taking into account that the United List and the National Alliance were not able to make it to today's party talks, New Unity invites the two partners to talks at the beginning of next week. There could be more clarity about the progress of the discussions on Monday.

As reported, the United List and the National Alliance will not respond today to the invitation of Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins to meet in the afternoon for informal talks on the formation of a new government.

The United List and the National Alliance, on the other hand, note that they are ready to discuss the work of the current government at the usual coalition meeting on Monday.

Saeima speaker Edvards Smiltens (United List) told LETA that the representatives of the party will not go for new talks today, because the United List will not participate in the formation of a new coalition, taking into account that the current government is still working. "The Constitution, the laws and the agreements established by the current government are still valid in the country and have to be fulfilled," Smiltens said.

Janis Dombrava, National Alliance's politician and the head of the Saeima National Security Commission, told LETA that the National Alliance has informed the prime minister that the party is ready to continue negotiations on Monday in the existing coalition, a three-party format. "If there is a desire to continue talking about the existing government, then we continue, if there is a desire to form a new government - then it is a completely different matter," Dombrava said.

LETA also reported, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) announced today that he would start new coalition talks.

The Union of the Greens and Farmers and the Progressives will also participate in the negotiations. Karins went on to say that the National Alliance and the United List would too be invited to the coalition talks.

At the same time, Karins emphasized that he was not considering stepping down because he was not going to give up on his Cabinet reshuffle plans.