Get out of the sandbox, kids

  • 2013-10-04
  • From wire reports

RIGA - Saeima speaker and Unity party leader Solvita Aboltina has a suggestion for the Reform Party/RP and VL-TB/LNNK: “Calm down!”

In wake of the political maneuvering conducted by the two parties as a joint force on Oct. 3, Aboltina reminded the two that “politics is not a sandbox for games.” She pointed out that RP previously had agreed to compromises regarding the 2014 national budget; therefore she expects “constructive conduct” from it further on.

She stressed how important passing the new budget is, and that the current situation was brought on by [coalition partner] VL-TB/LNNK by refusing to vote for the budget’s forwarding to committees.

In commenting on the present situation, VL-TB/LNNK’s Imants Paradnieks says that “it looks like someone has a tremendous desire to play political mom, become a parent, instructing everyone how to behave.” Speaking on LTV1 on Oct. 4, Paradnieks pointed specifically to Unity, urging it to “stop playing mom, instructing others how to work in the government, while it itself has not ‘calmed down.’”

As for the point of contention - the 2014 state budget - Paradnieks underlined that what it contains is most important, not its schedule or any deadlines. He also disagreed that the issue of the residency permit offer for purchase of real estate can remain outside the budget deliberations.