RIGA - Economy Minister Juris Strods handed his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis on Sept. 17. The nationalist For Fatherland and Freedom Party, which currently controls the post, has unofficially nominated Riga City Council member Einars Cilinskis to the post.
Recent months have seen numerous conflicting reports in local media over whether Strods would resign. While many rumors speculated on clashes with other politicians and the economy's growing imbalances, Strods said that the main reason for his resignation was personal.
"I have decided to leave the post of minister. Maybe somebody would like to connect this well-thought-out move with arguments and differing opinions within the government, but I want to stress that my family needs me now more than ever, and that is the key reason for my resignation. I have decided based on the values that are most essential in one's life," Strods told journalists after his decision.
"Sometimes it is necessary to choose between two serious responsibilities 's one of them is to help my family, the other one is to do a professional job," he said. Local media has reported that the former minister's grandson is gravely ill. Strods, who spent nearly a year in the post, declined to give more details about his reasons for leaving.
Shortly after the former minister submitted his resignation, For Fatherland and Freedom held an extraordinary meeting to decide on a candidate to replace Strods. The former minister noted that it is a difficult but important job.
The party unofficially decided on Cilinskis, who has a master's degree in economics and currently sits on the Riga City Council, where he has acted as a member of legal and environment committees.
The candidate has run in parliamentary elections numerous times but has never succeeded in winning a seat. For Fatherland and Freedom officials said that 44-year-old Cilinskis was their primary choice since he has extensive political experience.
"Considering the long-term political and professional experience of Einars Cilinskis in different state and municipality positions, there is no reason to doubt his capability to take the position of Latvia's economy minister," Roberts Zile, chairman of For Fatherland and Freedom, told journalists.
Zile, who is a member of the European Parliament, also expressed his hope that the prime minister would support Cilinskis as the economy minister and a ruling coalition partner.
Cilinskis also thought that his experience in politics and the administration of EU funds 's one of the most important jobs for the economy ministry 's would be his greatest asset should he eventually take the post.
"I think I have sufficient experience to stand as a candidate for the post. Moreover, I have the necessary education 's I have a master's degree in economics," Cilinskis said in an interview with LNT commercial television.
While Cilinskis has by far the most widespread party support, For Fatherland and Freedom will not officially vote on his nomination to the post until its next meeting. It will then be up to Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis to decide whether Cilinskis is qualified to serve in the post.
Kalvitis would not comment on his opinion of Cilinskis, telling journalists only that he would like the eventual candidate for the post to be "completely professional."
Strods is the second minister to quit the 19-member coalition government. Strods did not deny the possibility that he could return to politics sometime in the future, much as Transport Minister Ainars Slesers did after being asked to resign.
"As the old saying goes, 'never say never.' I am saying neither 'yes' nor 'no' [to returning to national politics]," Strods told journalists after his meeting with the prime minister.
