Latvia: Transport Minister refuses to resign despite criticism

Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens, has no intention to resign despite criticism of his communication, LSM reports. Earlier, President Edgars Rinkevics and Prime Minister Evika Silina criticised the minister’s messaging on the future of the country’s national air carrier, airBaltic, and the Rail Baltica railway project. Speaking after a meeting with Briskens, Rinkevics said that he expected the minister to ensure good and transparent management of state-owned assets. Rinkevics stressed the need for a “realistic assessment” of airBaltic’s current business plan and the State Audit Office’s (LRVK) report on financial problems in Latvia’s regional passenger transport sector. Briskens insisted that the Transport Ministry had “a realistic vision that needs to be followed through.”