Latvian Foreign Minister resigns amid scandal over special flights
Kyiv • UNN
Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjānis Karinš resigns amid a scandal over his use of private jets at public expense during his tenure as prime minister.
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karinš will resign amid a scandal over his flights on private jets at public expense while serving as prime minister. This was reported by Delfi, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that Karins announced this decision following a meeting with current Prime Minister Erika Silina. He will leave the post of minister on April 10, and on April 11, the Seimas may approve a new foreign minister.
In 2023, it became known that, as prime minister, Carins had flown 32 times on private jets abroad, costing the budget 613,830 thousand euros. Journalists and the public found the explanations of the State Chancellery about the justification of such expenses unconvincing in some cases.
At the end of March, the Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal investigation into the alleged embezzlement. Karins does not currently have procedural status in this investigation.
Addendum
According to unofficial information, Karinsh's successor may be Sejm member Zanda Kalnina-Lukashevitsa, who has many years of experience in foreign affairs and previously served as parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.