Latvian PM resigns after row over stray Ukrainian drones
Summary
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina has resigned after a political crisis caused by Ukrainian drones accidentally entering Latvian airspace. The crisis began when Silina fired the Defence Minister over his handling of the incident, prompting his party to withdraw support and collapse the government.Key Facts
- Three Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace on May 7, with one crashing and another hitting an empty storage facility.
- Both Latvia and Ukraine said the drones likely strayed off course after their signals were jammed.
- No injuries were reported, but local people said the government’s response was slow and not enough.
- PM Silina criticized the Defence Minister Andris Spruds for his handling of the situation and fired him.
- Spruds’s party, the Progressives, then withdrew from the ruling coalition, causing it to collapse.
- Latvia spends 5% of its GDP on defense and recently reintroduced mandatory military service due to concerns about Russia.
- President Edgars Rinkevics plans to form a new government quickly, with decisions expected by May 15.
- Silina became prime minister in September 2023, leading a coalition government supporting Ukraine against Russia.
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