Raimonds Pauls not seeking office

RIGA-Legendary composer and MP Raimonds Pauls isnot planning on seeking election in the future. He plans to remain in thePeople's Party.

The party's parliament faction head Maris Kucinskis told BNS that Pauls has said to him that hewill not run in any future elections. The lawmaker's decision will berespected.

However, there are no talks about him leaving the party.

Pauls told BNS that he does not consider leaving the party, but the futureis yet to come.

"Why should I do it now? But we will see what happens in the future," saidPauls, adding that it is not clear to him for how long he will have towork as a lawmaker. "The future of the parliament is not clear," he said.

He has beena culture minister, a culture aide to president Guntis Ulmanis, a parliamentlawmaker. Pauls has been a member of the People's Party for the last sevenyears.