Bordāns: Shape of government should be seen within a week

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New Conservative Party leader Jānis Bordāns, nominated to become prime minister by President Raimonds Vējonis a day earlier, said November 8 that the shape of a new government should be clear within a week.  

Speaking on Latvian Radio, Bordāns said that the time limit given him by the president - two weeks - should be sufficient as talks between the various political parties likely to be in the new coalition had already been ongoing for more than a month.

"The previous month has not been wasted," Bordāns insisted, "The President sees that the public has been looking for a candidate from the New Conservative Party and it's a good step ahead of our national [centenary] celebrations. I think it creates positive feelings."

In Bordāns' opinion, "Within a week it will be clear which parties are ready to take responsibility and see themselves as part of government." 

"There are already lots of positive expectations," Bordāns said, "I don't think a longer timeframe will be necessary."

He reasserted his conviction that a five-party coalition was most likely, consigning the Harmony party and the Greens and Farmers Union of outgoing prime minister Māris Kučinskis to form a "constructive opposition" in Saeima.

A five-party coalition along those lines would give Bordans 66 seats in the 100-seat Saeima, though with so many parties involved, keeping everyone satisfied could prove challenging. 

Bordāns said the aim was to build a government "that can be long-lasting and very successful," but refrained from being specific about the likely distribution of ministerial portfolios while underlining that as the party nominated to lead government, the New Conservatives had a mandate from both president and public to take leading roles in the cabinet.

The crucial post of Finance Minister might be taken up by his own party, while the future of the Foreign Ministry portfolio might go to an apolitical candidate or might even remain i the hands of the incumbent Edgars Rinkēvičs, Bordāns said. 

"But we are not walking into talks with an ultimatum, we are open to our partners, their interests and their wishes," Bordāns said.

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