PM instructs welfare minister to report on what has been done to implement Istanbul Convention

RIGA - Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) has instructed Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks of the Union of Greens and Farmers to report on what has been done to implement the Istanbul Convention.

Under the prime minister's resolution, Uzulnieks is required to report on the matter to Saeima committees and at next week's cabinet meeting, scheduled for October 7.

As reported, thanks to the support of the ruling coalition partner, the Union of Greens and Farmers, the Saeima last Thursday handed over to the foreign affairs committee the opposition MPs' idea to denounce the so-called Istanbul Convention, which would mean withdrawal from it.

While 55 MPs voted in favor of sending the bill to the committee, 33 voted against. Coalition MPs from New Unity and Progressives voted against the bill, while MPs from Greens/Farmers voted in favor.

The New Unity has 25 MPs, the Greens/Farmers faction has 16, and the Progressives have eight. The United List faction has 13 MPs, the NA - 12, Latvia First and Stability - eight each. There are also ten non-partisan MPs at the parliament.

The Greens/Farmers' vote on the Istanbul Convention has shaken the stability of the government coalition, with the ruling Unity and Progressives regarding it as a breach of the coalition agreement.

The Saeima has also forwarded to committees a number of draft amendments proposed by the opposition Latvia First (LPV) party, which call for restricting minors' participation in LGBT events and to introduce punishments for providing or enabling gender reassignment of minors.

The adoption of these proposals was also started with the support of Greens/Farmers, while coalition partners New Unity and the Progressives voted against.