Usakovs to report Eglitis' tweet on distribution of EU funding to European Parliament workgroup

RIGA - European Parliament member Nils Usakovs (Harmony) plans to report to the EU Parliament's workgroup on the Recovery and Resilience Facility Latvian Welfare Minster Gatis Eglitis' recent tweet in which he implies that when it comes to distributing EU funding, Latvia's ruling parties will "primarily take care of their own municipalities". 

Diana Svane, head of Usakovs' Riga office, quoted the MEP as saying that adherence to the rule of law must be one of the main principles in the distribution of EU funding. 

As reported, Eglitis said in his Twitter post that the Latvian Alliance of Regions, the Union of Greens and Farmers and Harmony should not become too happy about their victories in local elections because "the June 3 restart of the government means that the large government funds, EU funds and European Recovery and Resilience Facility will be controlled by the four coalition parties (National Alliance, New Conservative Party, New Unity, For Development/For) who will primarily take care of their own municipalities".

This statement received harsh criticism of many tweeters. Providus thinktank director and researcher Iveta Kazoka, for example, asked Eglitis whether his own party had not promised to fight against such policies.

Later Eglitis deleted his tweet and made it softer, saying that it will be interesting to see how the election results will affect the flow of the government and European funds.

Eglitis told LETA that he just wanted to voice his opinion about the earlier practice in distribution of funds when most of the funds went to municipalities controlled by the Union of Greens and Farmers. He promised that there will be no such practices in the future.

Meanwhile, the Union of Greens and Farmers said in a press release that they call on Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) to assess whether Eglitis is fit for the minister's position as his statements are unacceptable.