Latvia's Way party names Riga mayor for prime minister

  • 2000-04-20
RIGA (BNS) - The board of Latvia's Way party nominated Riga Mayor Andris Berzins as a candidate for the prime minister's post on Sunday evening, April 16, Latvia's Way spokeswoman Dace Gulbe said.

Berzins was nominated from six potential candidates of the party and he initially had stated he does not want to hold the office and wants to work in the municipality.

The prime minister's seat became available with the resignation of Prime Minister Andris Skele on April 12 following the loss of his coalition support over his sacking of Minister of Economy Vladimirs Makarovs.

In contrast to Latvia's Way member Aija Poca, who categorically refused to head a Cabinet in which a post is held by Skele, Berzins confirmed to media he does not have objections to Skele being a minister.

All board members voted in support of nomination of Berzins except himself.

Latvia's Way Chairman Andrejs Pantelejevs told reporters that the board's decision would be given to Latvia's president. He expressed a hope that President Vaira Vike-Freiberga would respect this choice in the event the potential coalition partners agree to support Berzins.

He said Berzins had put forward as a condition to run for the prime minister's post, the stable support of his party members, which was affirmed by the board's voting. The board had given Berzins the right to veto any ministerial candidate.

Berzins, who arrived for the meeting of Latvia's Way from the ice-hockey game between the Latvian and Finnish national teams, stressed to the news media that putting ultimatum-like claims to the coalition partners is not possible. He said he is ready to assume the prime minister's post and feels good about it, but "his heart would stay in Riga."

Berzins did not rule out that the next Riga mayor could be his present deputy, Andris Argalis, who is a member of Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK party, but noted it is still premature to speak about the new Riga mayor.

The other possible prime minister candidates of the party were MP and former Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis, economist Ojars Kehris, Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins and Transport Minister Anatolijs Gorbunovs, whose nomination was not even coordinated with him by the party's chairman. Gorbunovs categorically declined to hold the premier's post.

Latvia's Way on April 17 was to offer the candidacy of Berzins for discussions with the potential coalition partners while under the law, the candidate for the prime minister's post will be nominated by the country's president.

FF/LNNK party earlier had told reporters their objections to nominating Berzins for the prime minister's post. Former Prime Minister Guntars Krasts, who is a member of FF/LNNK, said Latvia's Way has called its "emergency brigade" in the person of Berzins, being unable to find a better candidate.

People's Party parliamentary faction chairman Gundars Berzins meanwhile told reporters the People's Party would voice its opinion on April 17 when Latvia's Way would tell more about its candidate.

President Vaira Vike-Freiberga also has expressed readiness to name the prime minister's candidate as soon as possible, but has said she might name a person not discussed by parties in their consultations.

If Berzins is approved as the prime minister, changes are also expected in the Riga City Council, because FF/LNNK has said in such a case it would want the office of Riga mayor.

Berzins, has accumulated popularity while working as the Riga mayor. He has held posts in three Cabinets previously -he was a labor minister in Valdis Birkavs' Cabinet in 1993, welfare minister in Maris Gailis' Cabinet in 1994 and state minister of labor affairs in the first Cabinet of Andris Skele in 1995.

In 1997 Berzins ran for Riga City Council elections from the list of Latvia's Way party and was elected as the Riga mayor in the third round of elections. Berzins has a degree in history and philosophy and has worked as a teacher in the schools of the town Ogre. His favorite hobby is singing in a chorus.