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New Latvian defence minister approved by parliament

Xinhua, July 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Latvian lawmakers at an extraordinary parliament session on Wednesday confirmed Raimonds Bergmanis, an MP of the ruling centrist Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), as Latvia's new defence minister.

Bergmanis is taking the portfolio of defence minister over from Raimonds Vejonis who was inaugurated as Latvian President earlier on Wednesday.

50 MPs of ZZS and coalition partners, the centre-right Unity faction and the right-wing National Alliance, voted for Bergmanis' appointment, and five MPs of the opposition leftist For Latvia from the Heart (NSL) voted against.

Bergmanis said he would resign from his lawmaker's post because he would not be able to combine the two jobs.

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