Karins rejects Gobzems as interior minister, negotiations with parties to continue until tomorrow

RIGA – New Unity’s candidate for the prime minister, Krisjanis Karins has rejected the proposal of KPV LV party to nominate Aldis Gobzems for the interior minister, and negotiations with parties will continue until tomorrow.

"One thing is clear to me – Gobzems does not want to form and support this government. I will not form a government with Gobzems as the interior minister," Karins told the press, adding that KPV LV has sed that it will not name any other candidate for the interior minister.

Without KPV LV support, the four parties would have just 50 votes. "50 votes is not a stable majority," said Karins.

He said that negotiations with parties will continue until tomorrow.

As reported, Karins, a candidate for prime minister nominated by New Unity, said earlier that he expects the New Conservative Party, KPV LV, For Development/For and the National Alliance to decide by this Wednesday whether they accept his proposal on the new government’s composition.

The New Unity is still waiting for all parties to name their candidates for ministers. There are unofficial reports that problems might arise because of KPV LV and its decision to nominate Aldis Gobzems for the interior minister because it is still not clear whether Gobzems will be granted the security clearance for access to state secrets.

After the parliament elections in October, the parties have not yet managed to reach an agreement on the new government. The president has already nominated two candidates for the prime minister – Janis Bordans (JKP) and Alds Gobzems (KPV LV) – but none of them managed to form the government, therefore their candidacies have been withdrawn.