Party boss apologises for jeering picketing pensioners

Take note – story published 9 years and 3 months ago

Solvita Aboltina, Saeima deputy, member of the Vienotiba political party's governing board and former parliamentary speaker, apologized late Wednesday for seeming to mocking pensioners who were picketing parliament calling for increased support. 

In a remarkable outburst captured by LTV, Aboltina responded to their cat-calls in kind, shouting "Ooooooo!" at them as she left the parliament building and crossed the street.

After a few steps and a pause for contemplation, she turned and repeated "Oooooo!"

"I apologize to any Latvian pensioners offended by my actions... they may have been misunderstood, because in no way did I want to offend Latvian senior citizens, " Aboltina said later, LTV reported.

It is not the first time she has raised the hackles of the public.

Before the last parliamentary elections she attracted heavy criticism when her motorcade - provided at public expense in her capacity as parliamentary speaker at the time - was spotted travelling at high speeds, apparently for no good reason.

That resulted in a backlash at the polls, with Aboltina sensationally not elected despite being one of Vienotiba's leading candidates.

However she did not have to wait long to re-enter parliament after another elected Vienotiba candidate immediately resigned his mandate - with Aboltina picking it up within minutes. 

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