Godmanis urges 'new faces' in government

RIGA 's Prime Minister IvarsGodmanis has said there will be changes in the government, stating that new faces will be appointed to fill the empty agriculture andculture minister positions as well as other vacant positions.

Heexplained that the optimization and restructuring of the stateadministration system will refer not only to state agencies, but alsoto ministries, with an emphasis on involving new people in thegovernment.

"Newpeople should be involved in the government," said Godmanis inan interview with Latvian public television.

"Itrefers to the agriculture and culture ministers, but there will bemore changes. I will not reveal these other changes, but they will besignificant," said Godmanis, adding that there will be changesnot only in ministers, but also in sectors supervised by particularparties.

Thenew candidates will be named next week, the prime minister did notwant to reveal any names yet.

Inan interview with the Latvian commercial television LNT, Godmanissaid that the problem with the president's loss of confidence in himhas aroused because he had promised to implement his governmentrestructuring plan, but the coalition parties did not reach anagreement on it. Therefore the coalition agreed earlier on partlyrestructuring, but the president had received false information thatthere will be no restructuring at all.

"Thepresident received information that we will not do anything.Unfortunately, that was the information published," he said.

Atpresent the coalition has agreed in principle to implementthe government restructuring plan proposed by the People's Party.

OnFeb. 20, the government will revise further economic forecasts and byMarch 31 all the necessary documents for budget amendments have to beprepared.