MPs of United List urge PM Silina to replace defense minister

  • 2024-11-06
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - After a meeting with Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Progressives) on Wednesday, MPs of the opposition United List said they were not reassured of Spruds' ability to lead the sector and urged Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) to replace the defense minister.

As LETA was told at the Saeima group, MPs of the United List party believe that the minister proved unable to admit that he provided false and contradictory information on the Russian combat drone that crashed in Gaigalava, eastern Latvia, last month.

"Lying is unacceptable and underlines confidence in public administration, particularly Latvia's armed forces, which is why the minister must take full responsibility for that," the United List says in the a statement.

"Sadly, after the conversation with the minister, we came to the conclusion that the situation is much worse than we had thought. We found that, in his own words, the minister's ability to tell the truth is limited. What is even worse is that the minister has a limited ability to realize how bad it is," said Edgars Tavars, chairman of the United List group in the Saeima.

Edvards Smiltens, co-chairman of the United List Board, believes that a minister who in an emergency situation is not capable of telling the truth and who lacks understanding of a strategic and adequate development of Latvia's defense sector, weakens Latvia's defense and security abilities.

As reported, the United List had invited Spruds to the parliamentary group's meeting to provide clarification on the "numerous problematic situations" related to the defense sector's governance.

Edgars Tavars, chair of the United List group in the Saeima, had mentioned the crash of a Russian drone on Latvian territory and the installation of a "militarized sculptural composition" next to the Adazi military base as some of the controversial issues the party wants to discuss with the minister.

The United List had repeatedly invited Spruds to a meeting, claiming at the same time on social networks that the defense minister is avoiding the meeting on the pretext of a busy schedule.