If there are any changes planned to the government, you will hear this only from me - PM

RIGA - If any changes are planned in the composition of the government, you will hear about it only from me, Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) told members of the press yesterday evening during a coalition cooperation council meeting.

On the agenda of Thursday's Saeima sitting is a motion of no confidence in Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens (Progressives).

Answering a question whether Briskens could count on the support of the entire coalition, Silina pointed out that the coalition usually did not support opposition motions for the resignation of ministers.

"This coalition is working together now, if there are any changes, you will hear them from me," Silina replied briefly.

The opposition party Latvia First started collecting signatures for Briskens' resignation.

As reported, the National Alliance (NA) has decided to express no confidence in Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens, insisting that the minister is incapable of managing the sector, making decisions and explaining them properly, the party informed LETA.

The NA points to what it calls the inconsistent behaviour of the Transport Minister on the issue of the national airline airBaltic, "trying to hide from the public the fact that EUR 571 million will be written off without the possibility for the state to recover the funds invested in the airline, which are in fact taxpayers' money". The Minister has reportedly failed to appear this week to explain his decisions before the Saeima Committee on National Economy, Agriculture, Environment and Regional Policy, despite initially promising to do so.