Berzins: one coalition partner has ambitions greater than its actual position

RIGA - In an interview with LNT’s news program “900 Seconds” this morning, Latvian President Andris Berzins said that one coalition partner has ambitions greater than its actual position.

As reported, All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (VL-TB/LNNK) recently demanded an additional 30 million lats (42.7 million euros) to be allocated from the national budget to improve the demographic situation in Latvia, otherwise threatening to vote against the 2013 budget project in the final reading.

“It is completely clear that changes to the budget cannot be made for this amount. It is also clear that one coalition partner has ambitions greater than its actual position,” said Berzins, adding that he believes these demands have nothing to do with the demographics.

The president pointed out that next year's budget project will have a small deficit, thus when looking for additional funding to improve the demographic situation, funding will be taken away from other areas.

However, the president did express confidence that, despite the current rift, the current government will remain.