Kariņš also met with Vitenbergs to thank him for his past cooperation and his work as minister.
As of Thursday, May 19, the duties of the Economics Minister will be entrusted to Agriculture Minister Kaspars Gerhards until National Alliance puts forward a candidate for the position.
As reported, last week the National Alliance issued an ultimatum to Kariņš demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Marija Golubeva (Development/For!). Failure to comply would result in it walking away from the government, it said. Kariņš bowed to the pressure but threw the ball back into the NA's court by saying one of its ministers would also have to go, for causing instability in government.
Despite National Alliance asking Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš to reconsider the request for the resignation of the Minister of Economics, PM said that the issues of internal politics 'hamper the work with bigger challenges' and that he expects NA to bring forward a new candidate.