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| Europe |
| Latvian government faces no-confidence vote |
| 2007-10-23 |
| RIGA - Latvia’s opposition parties have called a vote of no-confidence in the centre-right government, officials said on Monday, though they were unlikely to be able to unseat Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis. However, the move for a vote on Tuesday kept up pressure on Kalvitis, who last week faced thousands of protestors demanding his resignation over his dismissal of Latvia’s anti-corruption boss. Kalvitis has said he has no intention of resigning. ‘We think our chances tomorrow (to win the vote) will be slim,’ said Krisjanis Karins, chairman of opposition party New Era. But he said the no-confidence vote might expose weaknesses in the coalition as two ministers who disagreed with the anti-corruption chief’s dismissal left the government last week. Kalvitis’ government has 58 seats in the 100-member parliament. The four-party coalition has shown discipline and unity in recent key votes. Critics have said Kalvitis sacked anti-corruption bureau chief Aleksejs Loskutovs as he was getting too close in his investigations to key business and political allies of the premier. Kalvitis has said the KNAB anti-corruption force of Loskutovs was guilty of financial irregularities. Kalvitis also faces a test on Wednesday when parliament votes on the 2008 budget in its first reading. |
| Posted by:Steve White |