RIGA, October 5. /TASS/. Latvia President Andris Berzins said he would give one week to the political forces elected to the parliament to discuss possible cooperation, forum up a ruling coalition and nominate a candidate for the position of prime minister.
“All the parties will have a week, beginning from tomorrow (October 6), to have consultations among themselves and with potential parties in next ruling coalition. Most likely, we shall begin negotiations with parties in a week’s time,” he said in an interview with the national television on Sunday.
The victory at the elections of the social-democratic Soglasiye party, which represents the Russian-speaking citizens and which is headed by ever first Russian Mayor of Riga Nil Ushakov, was not unexpected, the president said.
“The current ruling coalition has got very good support. If you take together the votes in support of the ruling coalition, they will make a majority. Though about 40% of the parliament members will be newly-elected, the percentage for the majority is big,” the president said.
“Clearly, we do not have much time, as, since Latvia will be chairing the EU Council from January 1, 2015, the country will begin then working at the international level. Thus we need this week to have parties come to agreements on what they want and what they can. In the situation we have it would be useless to organise anything which would be supported by less than 50% of the vote at the parliament,” Latvia’s president said.
“My obligation is to nominate a candidate for premiership, and the parties should decide who next prime minister will be,” he said. “I have certain confidence we shall be able to form up a productive government.