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Coalition partner ZZS picks candidate for Latvia's next defense minister

Xinhua, June 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

The centrist Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), a partner in Latvia's center-right government coalition, decided on Monday to nominate MP Raimonds Bergmanis as a candidate for Latvia's next defense minister, local media reported.

The ministerial job will become vacant in a month because current Defense Minister Raimonds Vejonis has been elected Latvia's new president and is due to be sworn in his new office on July 8.

Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said on public radio last Friday that Vejonis had recommended Bergmanis to her as a possible candidate.

Talking to the press on Monday, Bergmanis admitted a lack of experience in leadership positions, but said that there was no need for major shakeups in the defense sector and that his main task would be to see to it that all existing commitments are met, which also includes raising defense spending to 2 percent of GDP by 2018.

Bergmanis, 48, is a former weightlifting champion and strongman and has represented Latvia at three Olympic Games. He has also hosted several TV shows and worked at the Latvian Defense Ministry. He is a vice president of the Latvian Olympic Committee. Endit