Latvia’s centre-right Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has resigned after sacking her Defence Minister over the army’s failure to shoot down stray Ukrainian drones. Two Ukrainian drones aimed at Russia accidentally crashed in Latvia last Thursday (7 May), with one exploding at an oil storage unit.
The drones were not detected as they flew in from Russia, the head of the Latvian army said. Siliņa blamed Defence Minister Andris Sprūds for failing to develop anti-drone systems quickly enough and demanded his resignation.
Sprūds resigned on Sunday (10 May) and Siliņa appointed Latvian army colonel Raivis Melnis as the new Defence Minister.
However, in response, Sprūds’ Progressives Party withdrew its support from Siliņa’s coalition government, leaving her without a parliamentary majority.
“I am resigning, but I am not giving up,” Siliņa, who has served as Prime Minister since 2023, said in a televised statement.
Siliņa’s resignation came just months before an election due in October. Right-wing populist party Latvia First is currently leading in the polls, while Siliņa’s New Unity party is trailing in third or fourth place in recent surveys.
Her government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a replacement is sworn in. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, who is tasked under the constitution with selecting a new head of government, is due to meet all parliamentary parties on Friday.
Latvia and Lithuania called on NATO to strengthen air defences in their countries following last week’s drone incident, in which four empty oil tanks were damaged at a storage site in the Latvian city of Rēzekne, about 40 km (25 miles) from the Russian border.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha blamed “Russian electronic warfare” for “deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones " from targets in Russia.
Ukraine is considering sending experts to help strengthen air security over the Baltic states, Sybiha added.
Several stray Ukrainian military drones struck Latvia and its Baltic NATO neighbours Estonia and Lithuania in late March. One hit a chimney at a local power station, while another crash-landed in a frozen lake before exploding.
Iran has said that reaching an agreement with the U.S. to end the war does not mean Tehran will overlook what it describes as war crimes committed aga...
A senior U.S. official said on Monday that the memorandum of understanding linked to the U.S.-Iran agreement had been signed by President Donald Trump...
Pakistan's political leadership on Monday welcomed a breakthrough agreement between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending more than three months of confli...
Uzbekistan and five partner countries have signed a protocol to further develop the CASCA+ railway corridor, a growing transport route linking Central...
The UK has become the latest country to annouce a social media ban for children under 16. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement on...
Uzbekistan and five partner countries have signed a protocol to further develop the CASCA+ railway corridor, a growing transport route linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Türkiye that provides an alternative connection between Asian and European markets.
An armed unmanned aerial vehicle crashed on a Black Sea beach in northern Türkiye on Sunday, prompting a security operation and the controlled detonation of its munitions.
Spain has received around 900,000 applications from undocumented migrants seeking legal status under a government regularisation programme. The influx has far exceeded initial expectations, the Migration Ministry said on Monday.
A Ukrainian man has been found guilty of carrying out a series of arson attacks on properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after being recruited by a mystery figure known only as "EL Money".
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
A senior U.S. official said on Monday that the memorandum of understanding linked to the U.S.-Iran agreement had been signed by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by a Lebanon-related provision in an emerging agreement with Iran, according to Israeli officials.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
Pakistan's political leadership on Monday welcomed a breakthrough agreement between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending more than three months of conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing it as a major diplomatic success and a victory for peace.
Spain has received around 900,000 applications from undocumented migrants seeking legal status under a government regularisation programme. The influx has far exceeded initial expectations, the Migration Ministry said on Monday.
A Ukrainian man has been found guilty of carrying out a series of arson attacks on properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after being recruited by a mystery figure known only as "EL Money".
British lawmakers look set to revisit assisted dying in the new parliamentary session after Labour MP Lauren Edwards said she would reintroduce legislation that failed to complete its passage through Parliament earlier this year.
Israel expects to secure new contracts for its air and missile defence systems from European countries within weeks, as governments across the continent continue to strengthen their militaries amid security concerns linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment