Karins has other coalition models in mind if talks with United List fail

  • 2022-11-09
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) has other coalition models in mind in case today's talks with the United List fail, the prime minister said in an interview with TV3 channel on Wednesday. 

Karins revealed that today he expects the United List to give a clear answer whether the party is ready to work in the coalition and form the government together with New Unity and the National Alliance. The United List would then have to accept the proposed distribution of ministerial portfolios, which would be very hard to change, Karins said. 

The prime minister voiced hope that today's talks will result in an agreement with the United List and that the future coalition partners will be able to go ahead with forming the government and writing the government declaration. 

Asked what will be his next step if the talks with the United List do not give the desired result, Karins said that he will then talk with the president. Asked if that would mean excluding the United List as a potential coalition partner, Karins said that most probably, it would mean a return to the originally proposed model of four-party coalition. 

"I already have other coalition models in mind - the original proposal, that a four-party coalition would be the most logical and stable. I think that if the three-party coalition does not work out, the next option would be returning to my original proposal of a four-party coalition," Karins said.

As reported, New Unity leader Karins and possibly also other New Unity politicians are scheduled to meet with United List representatives on Wednesday to try and reach an agreement on how to proceed with the formation of Latvia's next government. 

The parliament group of the United List has invited New Unity's leader, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins to discuss his proposal on distribution of responsibilities in the government, LETA learned from United List politician Uldis Pilens.

Pilens said that, according to the United List, Karins' proposal is one-dimensional as it proposes to agree on distribution of positions first instead of finding a conceptual solution on a number of issues, including preventing Latvia's lagging behind Estonia and Lithuania in economy and social support policy.

Also, solutions should be sought on the inflation problem, use of local energy resources.

As reported, disagreements between New Unity leader and Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and politicians from the United List about what should be the next step have resulted in a break in coalition formation talks.

Karins is waiting for the United List's response to his proposal on the distribution of ministries among would-be coalition partners, whereas the United List wants to get down to work on the government declaration.

Asked about the situation with his proposal, Karins told LETA that he is waiting for a "clear answer" from the United List - "whether they are ready to move ahead or not". The prime minister noted that the National Alliance and New Unity are ready to continue the government formation process, while the United List has yet to give its answer.

As soon as the would-be coalition has reached an agreement on the distribution of ministries, it will be able to move ahead smoothly and draft the government declaration, Karins said. He also referred to President Egils Levits' position that the areas of responsibility must be distributed among the coalition partners before starting work on the government declaration.

Drafting the government declaration is a "multifaceted process" where everyone has to know their areas of responsibility so that the work can be properly coordinated, Karins said.