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The Cooperation Agreement of the Faction of the 9th Saeima Forming the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia
11 March 2009
The factions elected to the 9th Saeima (Parliament) of the Republic of Latvia:
the People’s Party, the Green and Farmers Union, the “New Era” Party, the “Civic Union” Party, and the Union “For Fatherland and Freedom”/LNNK (hereinafter – “cooperation partners”) have undertaken the responsibility of the activities of the Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers and have concluded the following agreement:
To form the Cabinet of Ministers of the following composition:
Prime Minister – Valdis Dombrovskis, the „New Era” Party;
Minister for Defence – Imants Lieģis, the „Civic Union” Party;
Minister for Foreign Affairs – Māris Riekstiņš, the People’s Party;
Minister for Economics – Artis Kampars, the „New Era” Party;
Minister for Finance – Einars Repše, the „New Era” Party;
Minister for the Interior – Linda Mūrniece, the „New Era” Party;
Minister for Education and Science – Tatjana Koķe, the Green and Farmers Union;
Minister for Culture – Ints Dālderis, the People’s Party;
Minister for Welfare – Uldis Augulis, the Green and Farmers Union;
Minister for Regional Development
and Local Governments – Edgars Zalāns, the People’s Party;
Minister for Transport – Kaspars Gerhards, the Union for “For Fatherland and Freedom”/LNNK;
Minister for Justice – Mareks Segliņš, the People’s Party;
Minister for Health – Ivars Eglītis, the People’s Party;
Minister for Environment – Raimonds Vējonis, the Green and Farmers Union;
Minister for Agriculture – Jānis Dūklavs, the Green and Farmers Union.
In order to ensure efficient, stable and professional work of the Cabinet of Ministers until the end of the term of the 9th Saeima;
In order to ensure performance of the urgent tasks of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Declaration of the Cabinet of Ministers;
In order to establish collegial, constructive and enhancing cooperation and balance mechanisms in the coalition;
In order to prevent negative consequences which could be caused by uncoordinated activities of the cooperation partners, by their endeavours to prevail over other partners and by avoiding politically responsible decision-making for overcoming the financial and economic crisis, the parties hereby have agreed on the ethical standards governing the activities of the cooperation partners, the decision endorsement procedures, the mutual responsibility, the duties and rights.
I. General Principles
1.1. The cooperation partners shall comply with the common ethical standards - mutual respect, loyalty, companionship and decency. These standards shall govern not only the cooperation within the Cabinet of Ministers, but also the relations with the civic society, mass media and political opposition. The Cabinet of Ministers shall show a good example of unity in order to reduce the fragmentation of society and the gap between the authority and the public.
1.2. The cooperation partners shall undertake equal responsibility for justifying and explaining the decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers to the society in a comprehensive, open and reasonable manner.
1.3. The transparency and provision of information and explanations about all the decisions made by the Cabinet of Ministers shall be a duty of every member of the Cabinet of Ministers.
1.4. Each cooperation partner shall assume responsibility for ensuring that the activities of its ministers comply with the highest ethical standards, as well as with the right-wing political ideals.
1.5. The cooperation partners within the Cabinet of Ministers shall assume equal responsibility for the performance of the Cabinet of Ministers.
1.6. The Cabinet of Ministers shall ensure the principle of succession and assume responsibility for continuing the successful activities commenced by the former Cabinet of Ministers.
1.7. The cooperation partners within the Cabinet of Ministers shall provide support to and promote the activities and initiatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, their colleagues and partners for the benefit of the Latvian State that have been set forth in the Declaration of the Intended Activities of the Cabinet of Ministers.
1.8. The duty of the politicians within the Cabinet of Ministers – the Prime Minister and ministers – shall be the expression of a common position with regard to all foreign policy matters.
II. Cooperation Provisions
2.1 In order to ensure cooperation and uniform activities in the premises of the Saeima, the political parties shall hold regular meetings of their representatives – meetings of the Cooperation Council, participated by the Prime Minister and two representatives authorised by every cooperation partner. These meetings shall consider matters decided by the Saeima or the Government or such matters whose consideration is requested by the Prime Minister or any of the cooperation partners provided that these matters were available for consideration by heads of the Coalition Factions forming the Government at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Decisions of the Cooperation Council shall be legally binding.
2.2 The meetings of the Cooperation Council shall be convened before Cabinet sittings and at least once a week.
2.3 The meetings of the Cooperation Council shall be chaired by the Prime Minister who shall also determine the agenda of such meetings, or by an authorised minister when the Prime Minister is absent.
2.4 Every cooperation partner shall possess one vote on the meetings of the Cooperation Council. Decisions shall be passed by a majority vote of those cooperation partners which possess at least 51 vote in the Saeima by voting „for” or „against”. The meetings of the Cooperation Council may decide on a matter according to the principle of unanimity concerning amendments to the Satversme (Constitution) of the Republic of Latvia, the Citizenship Law, the Law on State Language and other laws regulating the use of the official language.
2.5 Minutes shall be taken for each meeting of the Cooperation Council. The minutes shall be signed by an authorised representative of every cooperation partner at the next meeting of the Cooperation Council
2.6 Upon invitation by the Prime Minister or the cooperation partners, the meetings of the Cooperation Council may be participated by ministers, members of Parliament and advisors to the Prime Minister and ministers in order to take part in consideration of specific agenda items in the status of advisors.
2.7 The number of ministers and proportions agreed by the cooperation partners have been defined according to the number of members of Parliament of each cooperation partner in the Saeima. This proportion shall be changed if the actual number of members of Parliament supporting the Government differs from the total number of members of Parliament acting in the respective faction of the cooperation partner or if the number of members of Parliament acting in the faction has decreased.
2.8 The number of members of Parliament supporting the Government shall be determined according to ballots in the Saeima on draft laws submitted by the Government if not otherwise decided at the meeting of the Cooperation Council.
2.9 Any cooperation partner may propose changes in the number or proportions of ministers but the final decision shall be passed by the Prime Minister.
III. Rights of the Factions of the Cooperation Partners and Their Members of Parliament
3.1 Meet the Prime Minister not later than within 48 hours upon a written request by a cooperation partner.
3.2. Make a written proposal on a reduction of representation of a cooperation partner in the Cabinet of Ministers
3.3 When the Prime Minister has made a reasonable request for dismissal of a minister or when a minister retires by his/her own decision, or when the Saeima express non-confidence to a minister, the respective cooperation partner may nominate a new candidate for this post.
IV. Duties of the Factions of the Cooperation Partners and Their Members of Parliament
4.1 Promote consideration of draft laws submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers in the Saeima committees.
4.2 Not to submit any draft laws to the Saeima without carrying out prior endorsement at the meetings of the Cooperation Council if the draft laws are related to the amendments of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, the Citizenship Law and the Law on the State Budget, as well as not to support such draft laws submitted by the opposition.
4.3 Not to initiate and support requests or suggestions of any member of Parliament for a confidence vote for the Government or any its members, as well as not to support extraordinary Saeima sittings initiated by the opposition if not otherwise decided by the Cooperation Council.
4.4 Withdraw from asking a question to the Prime Minister or a minister except for occasions when no reply is received within 20 days upon a written inquiry.
4.5 Prior to discussing and adopting decisions at the meetings of the Cooperation Council withdraw from initiation of and from providing support to suggestions for a popular vote, calls to the President of State not to proclaim a law, calls to form any parliamentary investigation commission, as well as from providing support to singing of application for submitting a claim to the Constitutional Court.
4.6 Provide a written notice to other cooperation partners and the Prime Minister on intent to withdraw a minister at least a week prior to adoption of the final decision.
4.7 Provide a written notice to other cooperation partners and the Prime Minister on intent to withdraw from the Cabinet of Ministers or not to support the draft state budget or budget amendments at least a week prior to adoption of the final decision.
4.8 The duty of heads of the Factions forming the Government shall be coordination of business trips of the members of Parliament participating in the meetings of the Cooperation Council in order to ensure the necessary number of votes at Saeima sittings.
V. Rights and duties of the Prime Minister
5.1 Under this Agreement the Prime Minister shall possess the following rights:
5.1.1 Include urgent matters in the agenda of the Coalition Council, submitting a written notice to heads of the Factions at least 8 hours in advance.
5.1.2 Publicly announce grounded warnings to ministers in case of their unsatisfactory professional performance.
5.1.3 Request resignation of any minister nominated by a cooperation partner not only due to their unsatisfactory professional performance but also in cases when the respective cooperation partner has failed to comply with its obligations under this Agreement.
5.2 Under this Agreement the Prime Minister shall possess the following duties:
5.2.1 Implement the decisions adopted by the Cooperation Council.
5.2.2 Ensure consideration of an additional matter at the meeting of the Cooperation Council before its inclusion in the agenda of a Cabinet sitting.
5.2.3 In cases when all the ministers delegated by a cooperation partner and being present at the Cabinet sitting vote against adoption of a particular decision, the Prime Minister shall convene a meeting of the Cooperation Council for repeated coordination of opinions before re-consideration of the matter at a Cabinet sitting.
5.2.4 Inform the coalition partners about Prime Minister’s intent to dismiss a minister, about intent to resign or any other changes in the Cabinet of Ministers at least 48 hours before legal formalisation of the decision; and to meet any of the cooperation partners upon request.
5.2.5 Inform the ministers at least 24 hours prior on matters falling under the competence of a minister and which shall be considered at the meeting of the Cooperation council unless it is not an agenda issue of the Government or the Saeima.
5.2.6 Ensure impartiality towards all the cooperation partners and supervise their compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.
VI. Final Provisions
6.1 The present Agreement shall be a public document; it shall be binding and considered only together with the the Declaration of the Government.
6.2 The present Agreement shall not be repealed whenever any of the cooperation partners withdraws from the Government.
VII. Signatures
The „New Era” Party
The nominated Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis
Chair of the Board Solvita Āboltiņa
Chair of the Saeima Faction Dzintars Zaķis
The People’s Party
Chair of the Board Mareks Segliņš
Chair of the Saeima Faction Māris Kučinskis
The Green and Farmers Union
Chair Mārtiņš Roze
Chair of the Saeima Faction Augusts Brigmanis
The „Civic Union” Party
Chair of the Board Sandra Kalniete
Chair of the Faction Anna Seile
The Union for “For Fatherland and Freedom”/LNNK
Deputy Chair of the Board Gaidis Bērziņš
Chair of the Faction Māris Grīnblats
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