Kulbergs' Government Left 53 Tasks Uncompleted. The President is Ready to Entrust Him with the Cabinet Again

The government of Latvia, led by Andris Kulbergs ("United List"), left 53 out of 185 measures outlined in the Cabinet of Ministers' action plan uncompleted. This is evidenced by an informational report published on the regulatory acts portal, reports the LETA agency. According to the document, as of mid-October, the implementation of three tasks had not even begun, while another 50 were in the process of being implemented. At the same time, Kulbergs is preparing to form a new government after the elections to the 15th Saeima. ### Which Tasks Did the Government Fail to Complete? Among the three measures that had not begun by mid-October is support for energy-intensive enterprises. The Ministry of Economics was supposed to prepare an informational report with a proposal for a mechanism that would allow such enterprises to enter into long-term electricity contracts at a rate 30% lower than the short-term market price. Another uncompleted task concerns the financing of school meals. The government planned to ensure the necessary funding for the meals of 5th-grade students in the current academic year, provided that additional funds were allocated. However, the implementation of this measure has not yet begun. The third task is related to the introduction of a schedule for increasing teachers' salaries. Work on it is planned to continue after the preparation of the state budget for the next year and the budget framework for the following three years begins. ### Another 50 Measures Remain Unfinished In addition to the three tasks that have not been started, another 50 measures are at various stages of implementation. These include: - Implementation of the European regulation on electronic evidence. - Signing of the founding document of the Defense, Security, and Sustainability Bank and preparation of the law for ratifying its charter. - Conclusion of an agreement with the financial institution Altum to provide employees of the State Border Guard with credit guarantees for the down payment when purchasing or building housing. These measures are not considered definitively canceled — work on them continues. ### Why Did the Government Reduce Its Plan? Initially, Kulbergs' government action plan included 215 tasks. However, in July, Finance Minister Maris Kucinskis ("United List") stated that it was impossible to complete the entire list within the existing budget. After that, the number of tasks in the main plan was reduced to 150. Kulbergs explained that the document highlighted 61 priority tasks, of which 17 require significant financial expenditures. Each of them needs to be assessed separately in terms of its impact on the budget. Another 30 measures were excluded as insignificant. In addition, 35 tasks that require funding were classified as non-priority. At the same time, ministers were allowed to continue working on such measures if they could find the necessary funds. These 35 tasks are also reflected in the published informational report. ### The President Intends to Entrust Kulbergs with Forming the Government Again Against the backdrop of the publication of the report on the implementation of the government plan, the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, is preparing to officially propose Andris Kulbergs to form a new Cabinet of Ministers. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, at 9:00 AM at the Riga Castle. A press conference after it is not planned. Earlier in October, the president stated that he intended to entrust the formation of the government specifically to Kulbergs. However, he can officially nominate a candidate for the position of Prime Minister only after the previous Cabinet of Ministers resigns in connection with the start of work of the newly elected Saeima. The first session of the 15th Saeima took place on Tuesday, November 3. After that, Kulbergs' government announced its resignation. At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers will continue to perform its duties until the new government is approved to ensure continuity of state governance. ### Who Can Enter the New Coalition? Following the parliamentary elections, the "United List," represented by Kulbergs, received 41 out of 100 seats in the Saeima. The distribution of the remaining mandates is as follows: | Political Force | Seats | | ------------------------------------------------ | ----- | | "United List" | 41 | | "Latvia First" | 17 | | "Sovereign Power / Young Latvians Union" | 15 | | National Alliance | 10 | | "Progressives" | 10 | | "New Unity" | 7 | A parliamentary majority requires at least 51 votes. Before the elections, Kulbergs led a coalition that included the "United List," "New Unity," the National Alliance, and the Union of Greens and Farmers. However, after the elections, the balance of power changed, and the final composition of the new government has not yet been determined. ### Three Main Tasks for the Future Government After announcing his resignation, Kulbergs thanked the ministers for their cooperation and stated that his Cabinet had managed to strengthen Latvia's security and advance the resolution of important state issues. In his assessment, the government also restored momentum in the work of the executive branch. Now, as Kulbergs emphasized, he faces three priority tasks: to form a new Cabinet of Ministers, prepare the state budget, and protect Latvia's interests in Brussels during negotiations on the next multiannual budget of the European Union. The final composition of the government and its program will be known after the completion of coalition negotiations.