Latvian parliament endorses new govt led by Silina

RIGA. Sept 15 (Interfax/BNS) - Latvia's Saeima (parliament) voted on Friday to approve the new government led by Prime Minister Evika Silina of the New Unity party, the LETA news agency reported.

In addition to the position of prime minister, New Unity will also have its minister of finance, minister of health care, minister of education and science, minister of foreign affairs, interior minister, justice minister, and minister of environmental protection and regional development in the new government, LETA said in a report.

Current Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens will keep his post in the new government, as will Minister of Justice Inese Libina-Egnere and Minister of Education and Science Anda Caksa, it said.

Former Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins will be foreign minister, Rihards Kozlovskis minister of the interior, Inga Berzina will become the next minister of environmental protection and regional development, and the post of minister of health will go to Hosams Abu Meri.

The Union of Greens and Farmers will be represented in the new government by Economy Minister Viktors Valainis, Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze, Welfare Minister Uldis Augulist, and Climate and Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis.

The Progressives will have three positions in the new government, with Agnese Logina taking over the post of minister of culture, Andris Spruds minister of defense, and Kaspars Briskens minister of transport, LETA said.

Thus, out of 16 positions in the government and Saeima, New Unity will have eight, the Union of Greens and Farmers five (the party now has the post of Saeima speaker, for which it is planning to nominate parliament member Gunars Kutris), and the Progressives three.

On August 17, the then prime minister Krisjanis Karins submitted a letter of resignation to Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, formalizing the government's resignation.