Latvia's prime minister resigns over deadly supermarket collapse <http://www.thecanadianpress.com/> Description: The Canadian PressBy Gary Peach, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press 1 hour 41 minutes ago
RIGA, Latvia - Latvia's prime minister unexpectedly resigned Wednesday,
saying he can no longer lead the country after a supermarket roof collapse
killed 54 people and sparked public outrage.
Choking back tears, Valdis Dombrovskis told journalists that the country
needed a change in leadership.
"Considering the ... tragedy and all the related circumstances, the country
needs a government that has majority support in Parliament and can solve the
situation that has arisen," Dombrovskis said.
Dombrovskis, Latvia's longest serving prime minister, has been credited with
steering the Baltic country from the brink of economic disaster since taking
power in 2009.
But his tough cuts have stung, and critics have suggested the abolition of a
state construction authority by his budget-slashing government weakened
oversight that might have caught potential building flaws in the
supermarket.
In recent weeks he has also run into difficulties with his ruling coalition,
with several nationalist lawmakers demanding changes to how the country
issues residence permits in exchange for support for next year's budget.
Though Dombrovskis survived the standoff, he apparently felt the tragedy at
the Maxima supermarket last week left his leadership too damaged to
continue.
The announcement triggers the fall of the entire centre-right government.
But it is not expected to cause a political crisis or disrupt the country's
economy, which over the past two years was the fastest growing in the
European Union.
Analysts say that in all likelihood Dombrovskis' party, Unity, will be part
of the next coalition that will control the government until scheduled
parliamentary elections next October.
Police have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the tragedy,
which also wounded at least 40 people. Possible explanations for the
disaster include a flawed design, substandard construction materials and
corruption.
There is "a feeling that he is perhaps a bit guilty for changes in the law
which led to the problem," said political commentator Karlis Streips.
Many Latvians have expressed deep skepticism that the guilty parties will
bear criminal liability and have gone so far as to demand that foreign
engineers be invited to help the investigation.
Dombrovskis denied he was pressured and said that he had been mulling his
resignation since the collapse, the country's worst disaster it declared its
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
President Andris Berzins will appoint a new candidate based on who he
believes could form a coalition that will receive the necessary majority
approval by parliament.
Dombrovskis enacted harsh budget cuts and tax increases while at the same
time implementing tough structural reforms demanded by international
organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund, that put together a
7.5 billion euro ($10 billion) rescue package for the country.
"Valdis Dombrovskis has been among the most successful of PMs in Europe,"
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote in his Twitter account. "Took
Latvia through difficult times. Charted the future."
Latvians were largely grateful for Dombrovskis' efforts, allowing him to be
re-appointed twice as prime minister.
As part of the widely acknowledged recognition of Dombrovskis' achievements,
earlier this year the European Central Bank and EU finance ministers gave
their consent to Latvia's adopting the euro in 2014.
On Jan. 1, Latvia will become the 18th member of the euro are
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"
<<image001.jpg>>
_______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list [email protected] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. ---------------------------------------
