A week after he said he was "seizing the initiative" then enjoyed a brief holiday before resuming the hunt for a Prime Minister, President Raimonds Vejonis did not nominate a PM candidate Friday depsite speculation long-serving MP and former MEP Karlis Sadurskis might be his nominee.
Vejonis met with potential candidates this week, and informed the press Friday that he will continue looking for a suitable candidate without mentioning the names of the candidates he has in mind.
He did however confirm he had asked Finance Minister Janis Reirs to become a candidate. Reirs declined, saying he would rather carry on in his current job.
Later of Friday is emerged Vejonis has approached little-known Valmiera Mayor Janis Baiks of the 'For Valmiera and Vidzeme' party (affiliated to the Unity party) to become a PM candidate, a source within Unity told the LETA news agency.
Baiks confirmed to LETA that he indeed has been approached by the president if he would like to become a PM candidate. Baiks said that he has not given the president an answer, as he would like to discuss this first with his family and colleagues. He added that he plans to give his answer after the weekend.
Baiks was elected mayor of Valmiera, a town in northern Latvia, in 2014 and has no experience of central government or ministerial work, so he would at least count as a "new" person.
However, early Saturday morning Baiks said on his Twitter account that he had "taken a decision to stay and work for the good of Valmiera and its people" with renewed motivation.
Esmu pieņēmis lēmumu un palikšu strādāt Valmieras un valmieriešu labā. Paldies visiem, kuri mani atbalstīja. Tas dod papildu motivāciju.
— Jānis Baiks (@JanisBaiks) January 9, 2016
