There is much unknown about future government - Kucinskis

RIGA - There is still much unknown in the formation of the potential coalition and government, said MP Maris Kucinskis (United List) in an interview with the Latvian public television today.

Asked whether an agreement on the coalition has been reached with the United List, he said that everything that has been heard is "somewhere in the middle".

He said that there are many unclear issues about next year's budget, for example. If the coalition partners agree on the necessity to continue to provide support to Ukraine, this funding should be planned in the budget, but so far it is not so. There is a similar situation with support to the health care sector and other areas.

The United List before formation of the coalition wants to see more detail into the government budget. It is clear already that next year Latvia cannot afford such a large budget deficit as this year. However, the United List is ready to start work on the future government declaration.

Kucinskis said that today the United List wants to meet with President Egils Levits and this should solve all misunderstandings in relation to deputy ministers. According to him, the coalition talks at weekend, headed by another New Unity's representative, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, had been a productive discussion about much larger cooperation among ministries.

Kucinskis said that the coalition talks had been more productive had the president already nominated Karins to form the government. Kucinskis said that the current process seems weird, but he does not want to criticize it any more. He just added that all three potential coalition partners should meet more often.

President Egils Levits told journalists after a meeting with Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) on Monday that in recent days Latvia's future coalition partners have managed to make headway in talks on the distribution of areas of responsibilities in Latvia's next government. Karins also confirmed that progress in the government formation talks has been achieved.

Saeima speaker and one of United List leaders Edvards Smiltens in a conversation with LETA this morning that the United List has made an interim decision or an agreement in principle has been reached on the areas of responsibility, but the coalition partners still should discuss the health care sector.