Latvia's prime minister warns against unpopular measures - and gathers a coalition for them.
Andris Kohlbergs warned that the country will face difficult and unpopular measures, and potential coalition partners will have to forget about generous election promises, as there is no money to implement them and there will not be any in the near future.
In a press conference with state auditor Edgars Korchegins and bank president Martins Kazaks, Kolbergs outlined possible steps: reducing administrative and procurement costs, cutting the bonus fund and vacations in the public administration, reducing the number of employees in the public sector.
In the 2027 budget alone, expenses must be reduced by more than half a billion euros, and will have to be cut in the following years.
As for the future government, according to reports in the local media, Kolbergs tends to leave the new unity in the opposition and create a coalition "for two". "The Joint List" (41 mandates) and the National Association (10), which gives 51 votes out of 100.
This is a minimal advantage, so you will need the support of another force. It could be "Latvia first" (17 seats), which has already confirmed its willingness to support Kohlbergs government without applying for positions.
The current head of the Ministry of the Interior, Janis Dumbarba of the National Union, said that it would be strange not to invite his party to the government given the existing cooperation with the Prime Minister's party, but the decision was left to Kohlbergs.
Kolbergs himself did not clarify the composition of the coalition and promised to provide details later this week.