Turmoil in Latvia as prime minister quits

Date: 12/02/04

WITH less than three months to go before it joins the EU, Latvia has been plunged into political uncertainty following the resignation of Prime Minister Einars Repse and his coalition government last Thursday (5 February).

The administration collapsed after one of the parties in the ruling coalition withdrew its support. The premier had already faced calls to quit from three of the four government partners over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

"With 26 seats [out of 100 in the parliament] in this situation we could not continue," 42-year-old former central bank chief Repse told reporters, after holding talks with his centre-right New Era party.

"Bringing down governments is like a sport in Latvia," he complained. "It shows that there are fundamental problems in Latvia's democracy and legislation."

Under the Latvian constitution, the government will continue to work until President Vaira Vike-Freiberga approves a new prime minister - the premier and cabinet are then subject to approval by the parliament.

However, with Latvia set to join the European Union on 1 May and to become a NATO member in the coming months, Vike-Freiberga vowed to move on a new government quickly, saying it could take three weeks. In the meantime, she said it would be business as usual.

"The parliament and government continue to work. Repse and the ministers continue to work until the next prime minister is appointed," she added.

The president indicated Repse would not be her choice.

Political scientist Zaneta Ozolina said she did not believe the resignation would harm Latvia's EU and NATO entry, but that it could affect domestic policies.

"The fact that Repse is resigning will not affect Latvia's joining NATO and the EU in a direct way," she told AFP. "I believe the next government will also lead Latvia to these organizations. However, it could be that on the domestic level Latvia will not be so active for a while."

Jean-Christophe Filori, spokesman for Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen, said the crisis was a matter for the Latvians to solve themselves.

"We don't comment on events in our own member states so why should we comment on events there? This is a matter for their own democratic institutions."

However, he said the Baltic country's political shake-up should not affect the run-up to its 1 May entry to the EU.

"We can only hope that Latvia will be in a position to continue its preparations in view of accession," he added.

Repse's government lost its majority in parliament when the centrist Latvia's First party pulled out of the coalition following months of dispute. The crisis came to a head when the party backed establishing a parliamentary committee of inquiry to probe allegations that Repse, who ran for office on an anti-corruption ticket, had purchased several properties under advantageous credit terms last year.

In response, Repse sacked the leader of Latvia's First, Ainars Slesers, as deputy prime minister, prompting the party to leave the ruling coalition.

Repse, who was the central bank governor since 1991, resigned in December 2001 to form the New Era party. He raised eyebrows by opening a bank account into which supporters put 500,000 lats (900,000 euro) needed for his entry into politics. A physicist by training, he built his reputation by setting up the national currency, the lat, to replace the rouble.

Once considered one of the country's most popular figures after the president, Repse is also known for his many hobbies, from flying planes to painting nudes.

http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/archives/enlargement_process/past_enlargements/eu10/latvia_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/archives/enlargement_process/past_enlargements/eu10/latvia_en.htm

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