Latvia must prepare for a serious crisis - Pilens

  • 2022-07-20
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Latvia must prepare for a serious crisis, businessman Uldis Pilens, who will be the PM candidate for the political alliance United List, which includes the Latvian Green Party, the Latvian Association of Regions and Liepaja Party (United List), said today.

He emphasized that it is necessary to unite and mobilize for the crisis, which will be profound and serious.

However, crises are always a time of opportunity, and if Latvia succeeds in mobilizing, then the country will come out of the crisis stronger.

In Pilens' view, overcoming the crisis will require two years, and the country must be prepared for difficult tasks. ''The time has come when we all need crisis management for the next two winters,'' he said.

"We have to take the country out of the feeling that we do not know where we must go," Pilens added, emphasizing that difficulties must first be overcome, and then a prosperous Latvia must be built.

As reported, the political alliance United List, which includes the Latvian Green Party, the Latvian Association of Regions and Liepaja Party (United List LZP/LRA/LP) on Wednesday named businessman Uldis Pilens as their candidate for Latvia's prime minister ahead of the 14th Saeima elections.

The political alliance also announced its lead candidates standing in the upcoming parliamentary elections. MP Didzis Smits (LZP) tops the United List's ticket in Riga. Smits was elected to the current Saeima on the KPV LV ticket but later quit the party to join the Latvian Green Party.

Riga Vice Mayor Edvards Smiltens (LRA) is the alliance's lead candidate in Vidzeme, MP Edgars Tavars (LZP) in Zemgale, ex-premier Maris Kucinskis (LP) in Kurzeme and Juris Vilums (LRA) in Latgale.

Tavars and Kucinskis were elected to the current Saeima on the Greens/Farmers ticket, but Kucinskis and Tavars left the Greens/Farmers group in parliament after it split up.

Vilums used to be a member of the 12th Saeima, elected on the LRA ticket. In the 13th Saeima elections LRA failed to overcome the 5 percent vote threshold.

Today, the United List LZP/LRA/LP signed a cooperation agreement with Latvia's United List, a public organization initiated by Pilens and gathering professionals of various spheres.