Saeima confirms Bordans as justice minister

RIGA – Today, Saeima confirmed Janis Bordans (All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK, VL-TB/LNNK) as the new justice minister.

59 Saeima members voted for Bordans, with 19 votes against and one abstention.

Members of the coalition parties and eight MPs from the opposition's Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) voted for Bordans. Harmony Center's MPs voted against, while Karlis Serzants (ZZS) abstained.

Before the vote, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) addressed Saeima members, emphasizing Bordans' experience of work in the parliament and government, and his expertise in legal affairs.

Dombrovskis stressed he believed that Bordans would make a good justice minister. The key tasks for the new minister will be improving the efficiency of courts, because an economic breakthrough will be impossible without an efficient court system, said Dombrovskis.

Bordans, then parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Justice, was nominated for justice minister by VL-TB/LNNK. Aigars Lusis was nominated to take the Justice Ministry parliamentary secretary's office.

As reported, Bordans' predecessor Gaidis Berzins (VL-TB/LNNK) announced his resignation on June 20, stating that he and the prime minister had conflicting opinions about Jewish property restitution. The premier accepted Berzins' resignation the next day.

Bordans, born in 1967, has a degree in law from the University of Latvia. Bordans has worked as a lawyer at "Vacijas-Latvijas banka," advisor to the prime minister, attorney at law at the law offices "Wall".

Bordans was a member of the 5th Saeima, he also participated in the 6th, 10th and 11th Saeima elections.