Latvian Minister: Saakashvili waged the conflict! We need to condemn him

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“We should get on a good track with Russia to develop our Latvian transit quicker. And only amateurs, who do not know where money arise do not understand this,” Transport Minister of Latvia Ainars Shlesers said to Latvian journalists in Kazakhstan, Business & Baltics newspaper reports. After this statement, according to the newspaper, the talk of ministers with journalists turned to discussion of the position taken by Latvia in the Georgian-Russian conflict. “I sympathize with Georgians,” Shlesers said, “but in my opinion, Saakashivili is to blame for this situation. It was he who waged the conflict! It is a clear fact! We need to condemn him …”

As a correspondent of Business & Baltics reported, after Shleser's statement Minister of Economic Affairs Kaspars Gerhards said: “But there are some principles, which we should speak about, they are inviolability of state borders and democracy!” “Of course, they are,” Shlesers interrupted him, “but why should we play as a flag-bearer in this fight? If Latvia pointedly wants to fight for democracy in the whole world, let it fight with Cuba, Venezuela and North Korea. They are not our neighbors, we will not have any joint business with them. Why should we disagree with Russia? With the only state that is able to make up for losses, which we are suffering in connection with the crisis in the West!”  “Look, Finland — it also probably does not fully support Russia,” Shlesers continued, “but it does not grab the flag and set forth with blame! Let other bear the flag against Russia. Why should we do it?!” "I do not agree with you, Minister Gerhards interrupted Shlesers sharply, “I do not support this, it does not match neither with my historical experience nor with the events in Georgia!”

Here, Minister Shlesers, evidently understanding that the debates of both ministers step out of line in the presence of journalists, stated smiling that Minister Gerhards and he are from different parties. They both get behind the prosperity of the Latvian economy, but in different ways, the newspaper marked.

As REGNUM earlier reported, Ainars Shlesers represents united party Latvia's First Party / Latvijas Cels in the Latvian government, and Kaspars Gerhards represents the party Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK.