New Unity would lose most from fall of government - political expert

RIGA - The biggest loser from the fall of the government at this moment would be New Unity, because it would be a proof that the work of the government has gone beyond any control, political scientist Lelde Metla-Rozentale, lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Riga Stradins University, told LETA.

Assessing the statements by Economics Minister Viktors Valainis (Greens/Farmers) that his party currently sees no possibility to move forward with next year's draft budget, as the coalition has failed to reach satisfactory solutions on the issue of a reduced value-added tax (VAT) rate on some food products and preservation of small rural schools, the political scientist recalled that when the negotiations on next year's budget began, the Progressives also said that there would be no significant reduction in funding for culture or transport.

"I think that every coalition partner has equal rights, and I think that is how Greens/Farmers looks at it," Metla-Rozentale said, noting that Greens/Farmers has its own electorate and its own interests.

The political scientist noted that in this case the party of Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) was being held hostage, because if the government fell, Greens/Farmers would not lose value in front of its electorate with such arguments and, on the contrary, voters would probably support the fact that they stood up for the interests of their electorate.

However, as the expert pointed out, the biggest loser from the fall of the government at the moment would be the New Unity, because it would be a confirmation that the work of the government has gone out of any control, which is the opposite of what has been claimed before - that everything is fine, everyone is cooperating.

Thus, in the opinion of the political scientist, the prime minister is aware of the great risk this situation poses to the New Unity. "I think that the prime minister will probably try to find some kind of compromise, which will be a concession to the demands of the Greens/Farmers rather than going for confrontation or the fall of the government," Metla-Rozentale assessed.

The political scientist also pointed out that it would be impossible to form a new government with the New Unity at the center. "If the Greens/Farmers brings down the government and the New Unity forms a new one, then they would also have to find new partners, while the Progressives do not really go together with, for example, the National Alliance," Metla-Rozentale said.

In the opinion of the political scientist, the prime minister will do everything to save the government.

As reported, the Greens/Farmers currently sees no possibility to move forward with next year's draft budget, as the coalition has not reached satisfactory solutions on the issue of a reduced value-added tax (VAT) rate on some food products and preservation of small rural schools, Economics Minister Viktors Valainis (Greens/Farmers) said in an interview with the Latvian public television.

The politician said that Greens/Farmers did not see any possibility to discuss next year's budget in the government at the moment, as "very important agreements" had not been reached in the coalition. Valainis said that the first agreement that had not yet been reached was the reduced VAT rate on food products and which categories of goods it would apply to.

The politician named rural schools as the second issue still to be discussed. He stressed that the introduction of the new school funding model Program at School would mean a significant reduction in the number of rural schools, which is unacceptable to the party. The party believes that small schools in remote rural districts should continue their work with the support of local authorities and the state.

Until these issues are discussed, we do not see any possibility to move towards the adoption of the budget, Valainis said.

In parallel, the coalition has also discussed amendments to the Forest Law promoted by the Agriculture Ministry, led by Greens/Farmers, which, among other things, would reduce the felling age for a number of tree species.

Andris Suvajevs, the head of the Progressives' parliamentary faction, stressed earlier that the party categorically does not support deforestation as a solution for budget cuts. The MP pointed out that the Agriculture Ministry's vision of "Latvia as a third world country that sells its most precious resources for a cheap price is a remnant of the 1990s".

Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze (Greens/Farmers) strongly criticized the proposals and approach of the Progressive party to forestry, stating that their objections threaten the future of Latvia's forests and people's well-being.

Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) tweeted on Friday evening that she would not support more unjustified deforestation.

Krauze has invited the members of the Progressives' faction and ministers to a discussion with experts on the current situation and challenges of forestry in the forests of Pieriga on Friday, September 19.