Melnis ready to stay on as defense minister without New Unity

Defence Minister Raivis Melnis would be willing to remain in the post if prime minister-designate Andris Kulbergs forms a government without New Unity, he said on Latvian Television’s morning programme Rīta Panorāma on Monday, LSM reported.

“If Mr Kulbergs invites me to continue as defence minister, I will agree,” Melnis said. He is non-partisan, although New Unity previously nominated him for the post.

Melnis said he and Kulbergs have not discussed whether he would stay in the job. If Kulbergs does not invite him, Melnis said, “we’ll think about it”. Returning to the National Armed Forces is one option, he added.

President Edgars Rinkēvičs has asked Kulbergs, of the United List, to lead efforts to form a government. The coalition talks began in late October, but the shape of a potential coalition remains unclear. Kulbergs and Rinkēvičs have said they hope to present a proposed government model by November 18.

The United List won 41 seats in the 15th Saeima elections. New Unity won seven seats, while the Union of Greens and Farmers failed to reach the five percent threshold and will not be represented in parliament.