Riga, Latvia – In a significant development for the Baltic nation, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš has revealed his intention to resign from office during a press statement released by his office. The Prime Minister is set to present the government’s formal letter of resignation to President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 17.
The decision to step down follows a joint meeting held on Monday, August 14, between the board of the “Jaunās Vienotības” party and the Saeima faction, during which Prime Minister Kariņš informed members of his plan to resign and invited “Jaunās Vienotības” to nominate a new candidate for the position of Prime Minister. This announcement has been communicated to the political partners contributing to the current coalition government, namely the “National Association” and the “United List.”
Prime Minister Kariņš underscored his motivation for this decision, stating, “The development of the country basically requires a strong and dynamic government that can make difficult and complex decisions. At the moment, after long negotiations, it has become clear that the ‘National Association’ and the ‘Joint List’ are doing everything to slow down any of my attempts to introduce the necessary dynamism in the work of the government.”
Acknowledging the accomplishments and challenges faced during his tenure, Kariņš expressed gratitude towards his fellow ministers and the electorate. “I want to use the opportunity to thank all the ministers for their work so far. I would also like to express my gratitude to the voters for their trust in me during the Saeima elections. I am sure that the new ‘New Unity’ candidate for the post of Prime Minister will be able to create a strong and dynamic government that will ensure the successful future development of our country,” affirmed the Prime Minister.
Reflecting on his time in office, Kariņš highlighted the resilience of the Latvian state and society in overcoming challenges. He noted, “In 2019, we experienced a deep financial sector supervision crisis, which threatened to include the country in the ‘grey list.’ We successfully prevented this by implementing an overhaul of financial sector supervision. This was followed by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which no one had any prescriptions for how to deal with, but we as a society coped with it.”
Furthermore, Kariņš pointed out the nation’s ability to maintain economic growth despite external threats, including hybrid threats on the Latvia-Belarus border and Russia’s actions in Ukraine. “Throughout this time, we have maintained stability in the country and society by significantly increasing investments and preparedness in security and defense,” he added.
As Prime Minister Kariņš prepares to step aside, he expressed optimism for the future, placing his confidence in the hands of the incoming head of government. “I would like to once again thank everyone with whom we have worked together – however, we have to look forward, we have to look to the future, and I see it in the hands of the new head of government,” concluded the Prime Minister.
This announcement sets the stage for a transition of leadership and the formation of a new government in Latvia, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s political landscape.
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