Audio recording: Zatlers predicts the fall of the government next March

  • 2011-11-08
  • By TBT Staff

Zatlers says that the government would fall against the backdrop of presidential elections in Russia.

RIGA- Leader of the Zatlers Reform Party (ZRP)Valdis Zatlers at an informal meeting of the party, predicted that the current government could fall next March, and a new one would be formed already in May, together with Harmony Center. This is evidenced byan audiotape, which was received by Latvian portal pietiek.com from anonymous sender.

According to pietiek.com the recording was made at a recent meeting of the party leaders, where Zatlers says: “We have two scenarios, whether you like it or not. The first scenario: we have a nationalist government that is going to fall in March and, as an alternative, in May we’ll have a new government with Harmony Center.”

Replying to a question on why would the current government fall, Zatlers says: "Rest assured!" He goes on to say that the government would fall against the backdrop of presidential elections in Russia that would be accompanied by strong nationalist sentiment.

“They will need an external enemy, and there can hardly be any better one than a small fascist government in a neighboring country. Let's be realists. Yes, yes, don't worry, it will fall,” said Zatlers.

The second scenario, to which I do not want to get used to, is a large coalition with Harmony Center… We can’t afford not to keep the promises,” Zatlers said.      

ZRP representative Daiga Holma told news agency LETA that the audio recording was from a meeting of the then-pending ZRP Saeima group, more than a week before the first session of the 11th Saeima. Further possible developments were discussed at the meeting.

"There were no specific decisions or actions being planned, only theoretical long-term development scenarios discussed," said Holma.

According to Holma, it can be heard on the recording that concern is expressed by Zatlers that a government that includes the nationalist alliance All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK could become a good target for harsh international criticism, and that March 16 Latvian Legion commemoration day events could be damaging to the government. It is also noted at the meeting that if, in the broader coalition scenario, Harmony Center does not keep its promises, the government will not be able to continue to exist.