Page 37 - bne magazine September 2023

bne September 2023 Central Europe I 37
criminals during the previous populist government of Robert Fico.
“Corruption was present in the highest circles,” Harman stated at a press conference, adding that “the police was captured”. Charges brought up include establishing a criminal group, abuse
of power, and obstruction of justice. The group is accused of derailing and sabotaging criminal investigations.
Fico, leader of the populist Smer party, which now leads the pre-election
polls, held a press conference in Presov, eastern Slovakia, where he was campaigning, and said that a “police coup attempt” is taking place “with the full support of the premier and President Caputova”.
Fico claimed that the “coup aims
to get full control over SIS,” and he invoked paragraph 32 of the Slovak constitution, saying Slovaks have the right to confront anyone dismantling democracy in the country.
One of the country’s leading dailies, SME, noted that the last time Fico made claims about a coup was when he faced mass demonstrations following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancé Martina Kusnirova in 2018, which eventually led to his downfall from power.
Several high-profile officials and policemen from Smer’s 2010s era in power are under investigation, including former police head Tibor Gaspar, who is also on Smer’s candidate list.
Karins to step down as Latvian prime minister Linas Jegelevicius in Vilnius
Long-serving Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has unexpectedly announced that he will resign after failing to persuade his current coalition partners to welcome new parties into the government. He blamed coalition partners "blocking the work for prosperity and economic growth" for his decision, according to
a social media post.
Karins, chairman of the ruling centre-right New Unity party, had been trying for two months to widen his governing coalition, which also contains the radical rightwing National Alliance and the centre-right United List, but talks broke down.
He said that he intended to begin talks with the centrist Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the social democratic Progressives party, but this coalition would only hold 52 parliamentary seats in Latvia’s 100-strong legislature.
Karins had also said he did not intend to resign but he then announced unexpectedly in the afternoon of August 14 that he would step down and hand his resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics during their meeting on August 17, LETA, a Latvian newswire, announced.
According to the country’s constitution, with Karins' resignation, the entire
cabinet of ministers will resign, paving the way for formation of a new government.
The premier said that his New Unity party now plans to select another candidate for prime minister.
Karins appears to have lost the confidence of his original partners, who argued that his decision to stay on as the prime minister after he announced a new round of coalition talks was against the constitution.
Prior to the PM’s announcement, the
United List and National Alliance said they were sceptical about working in a new government led by Karins.
The coalition's unity had earlier been shattered by its failure to agree on
a joint candidate for president. The New Unity party's decision to push through its candidate, Rinkevics, at
the election at the end of May helped worsen divisions, with the United List and National Alliance angered that New Unity now held both the premiership and the presidency.
In an interview with TV3 on August
Karins, chairman of the ruling centre-right New Unity party, had been trying for two months to widen his governing coalition. / bne IntelliNews
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