The expulsion of two Saeima deputies from the party and from the faction – the party “S Harmona” experienced such a serious shock this week. Vyacheslav Dombrovskis and Lubova Schwecov came to the Election Election List two years ago as new faces. Both were also widely advertised – Dombrovskis even as a candidate for the post of prime minister. It turns out that the disagreements in the party have been going on for a long time, but the unsuccessful results of the Riga City Council’s extraordinary elections forced them to break out. Now “Sadarba” is committed to consolidation, for example, by introducing very strict discipline in the Saeima faction, reports Latvian Television program “De facto”.
Two years ago, Vyacheslav Dombrovskis was solemnly nominated for the post of Prime Minister of Harmony. A year and a half ago, he almost became the first number in the European Parliament elections, but last autumn at the “Harmony” congress he was one of the three candidates for the position of party leader, which was won by Jānis Urbanovičs.
At that time, Dombrovskis became one of his deputies, but a week and a half ago he publicly announced that he was leaving the board of “S Harmonas”. The very next day, the board of the Riga branch of the “Harmony” proposed his expulsion from the party. The commentary “Facebook” by the deputy of the Saeima, the former deputy head of the Financial Police “Lubova Švecova” also deserved the outrage of the Riga branch. In it, Švecova, referring to what Urbanovič said at the party congress last year, that while she was waiting for her to be removed, she joked – she will not shake her hand if necessary, so she will have to wait for the new congress.
Urbanovičs publicly stated that the boundaries had been violated, because such jokes were “neither witty, collegial nor ethical, especially knowing the author’s previous course of life and his fondness for weapons”. The majority of both the party board and the Saeima faction sided with their leader. “Well, they do [Dombrovskis un Švecova] have achieved their own. They have publicly stated that they do not want “Harmony” to be good, that “Harmony” will not be long-lived, which they wish. Well, in my opinion, they became very impatient – they themselves were not ready to go, they wanted us to encourage them as well, ”says Urbanovičs.
Sandris Bergmanis, the former and also the newly elected deputy of the Riga City Council, heads the board of the Riga branch of the “Harmony”. He himself has been involved in various scandals, for example, as a consultant for “Rīgas satiksme”, due to whose hiring the company is now turning against the former management. However, Bergmanis believes that the reputation of “Harmony” has been damaged by the former members: “There were two different cases. In one case, it was specifically that he [Dombrovskis] party members are called corrupt and some part of the party is called … well, let ‘s say, without trial accused of some crimes. This brings disgrace to both the party and the members. In the second case, there was the spread of threats on social networks. “
Schwecov’s threat is denied: “The discussion and dialogue was about the necessary changes, about the need to create another structure for cooperation and communication with the public from the party leaders and directly re-elect the leaders and the board.”
After the expulsion from the “Harmony” and its Saeima faction, Vyacheslav Dombrovskis revealed that he had already decided to leave the party board in May, but did not do so in order not to harm the “Harmony” in the Riga City Council elections: “The last drop was during the pandemic. (..) The coalition and the government, the work of which I have so far assessed, to put it mildly, quite low, were able to mobilize, receive and showed quite a relatively good result – a very small compliment. At the same time, I saw that from the leadership of the “Harmony” such a setting was to sit and expect something that the leadership of the party was not visible at all. During these few months, “S Harmonai” did not have any board meetings. (..) It was enough for me to conclude that I no longer want to work on such a board. ”
The politician denies the accusations of the “Harmony” that he had planned to join another political force for a long time. But now that he has been expelled from the party, he is reflecting on his future in politics. If Dombrovskis decides to stay in it, he will establish a new party, because he sees that the demand for such is both in the “Harmony” electorate and among the party members.
The Board of S Harmonas discussed the expulsion of both deputies for more than two hours. The board also instructed Konstantin Chekushin, the leader of the “Harmony” faction in the new Riga City Council, to lead a working group that would analyze the election results. The party structures will evaluate them in late autumn, when an extraordinary re-election of all party positions will take place. “We need to understand where our mistakes are, analyze and offer our solution, our vision. (..) When we draw up a plan, we will talk about it during the congress. It will be public, of course, ”Chekushin says.
MEP Regīna Ločmele-Luņova, after the meeting of the Board of “Sobežas”, emphasized that in the future there will be no parenting in the Saeima faction: “Currently, the position of the party board and the party faction is And the discipline of the group will be very, very strict from today. ” Should those who did not support the exclusion of Dombrovskis and Švecova in the group also have to go? Lochmele-Lunov does not give a direct answer to this.
There were few voters “against” at the group meeting. Among them is Evija Papule, a former education official who is not a member of the party, but was invited to run from S Harmonas two years ago: And so, since there was no such real discussion about it, there was a vote, and I also expressed my attitude. ” Asked if she was considering leaving the group, Papule replies: “This is always the case, and in any case, it depends on how the party develops its further decisions or its chosen position. That possibility always exists. “
Consolidation of the party and faction is not the only concern of the leader of “Harmony” Urbanovičs. The party’s annual report shows debts in the amount of almost 350 thousand euros. A large part of them is related to debts for the 2018 Saeima election campaign, including foreign consultants, known as “De facto”.
Urbanovich refuses to name the party’s creditors: “Of course, the debts reduced our chances in this election, but they are not ones we are unable to repay. Almost all debts have been settled. Almost! There are a few more that we have a dynamic discussion with creditors about amounts, types and so on. (..) We have hired lawyers to resolve such disputes with international experience. They tell me, “We will cope, do not interfere with our speculations or conjectures!”
Urbanovičs admits that he has also talked about these creditors with the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KAB). KNAB is still investigating the services of the German consultant Luca Meier, paid for by the Riga Tourism Development Bureau, at a time when he was actively participating in the organization of the “Harmony” Saeima election campaign.
Sunday night it became known that “Saskaņu” will also be left by Saeima deputy Evija Papule.
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