LATVIA: New Latvian President Valdis Zatlers sworn in, while outgoing President Vaira Vike-Freiberga unsure of her future plans

Latvia's new president is sworn in, with some still cautious after he admitted accepting financial gifts from his patients. Outgoing president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, says she intends to have a good holiday and at least a two-year break from politics. Latvia's new president, Valdis Zatlers, took office on Sunday (July 8) with a pledge to be a strong partner to the European Union and pursue constructive ties with the Baltic state's neighbours, including Russia. Parliament elected the former surgeon in May to succeed Vaira Vike-Freiberga, eastern Europe's first female president and Latvia's most popular leader, who won wide respect abroad during her eight years in power. Speaking on Sunday, Zatlers said strong ties with Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia were vital, but he would also work to continue strong ties with all of the country's neighbours. Latvia has had tense ties with Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Relations have recently warmed and the two are now sealing a formal border treaty for the first time. But Zatlers' appointment has not been without controversy. He has been criticised for taking undeclared cash payments from his patients, a common practice in Latvia, and was fined by Latvia's tax authorities. He is a political novice, and his opponents have been vocal in their opposition. Nominated by the ruling four-party coalition, critics are concerned Zatlers may be too close to the ruling coalition. Analyst Aigars Freimanis says Zatlers' nomination was made in haste and there are questions over his political independence. And he is not convinced that the president's admitting of the cash payments is enough to dispel suspicions about him. "He apparently considered, and his advisers may had told him, that if he admitted to having accepted these 'gifts' for successful operations then it would be enough to consider it as, if not a heroism, then at least an act of confession, promoting respect. If he had been the first then it would have worked out this way. But he was not the first," Freimanis said. On Sunday, Zatlers was handed the keys of the President's Palace by Vike-Freiberga, who said it was too early to tell what kind of a president Zatlers would make. "I think the ultimate judge and the one that counts, I think will be history. So I hope that he writes his name in history in a way that does honour to him and to Latvia," she said. Vike-Freiberga leaves her position as president having garnered a great deal of affection and respect from her fellow Latvians. She held a high profile both in, and outside of, the Baltic country. At one time she was touted as a replacement for Kofi Annan, as UN Secretary-General. Vike-Freiberga speaks five languages fluently and is a former psychology professor. During her eight year presidency she oversaw Latvia's joining of NATO and the EU. But she says, other than a good holiday and a series of speeches after the summer, she is not yet sure of her future plans. "Everything depends on circumstances. It's very difficult to judge what would happen, say two years from now - what the situation is in Europe, what is happening, what kinds of opportunities might be offered for me in terms of my activities. It's a two-way street, you see, it's not as if I can go out and design myself in a sort of a single, solitary plan for myself. It's an interaction with a great many other people and we will have to see how these things work out," she said. Vike-Freiberga says she intends to take at least two years off from politics, but hasn't ruled out a return in the future, possibly in a global capacity. On the streets of Riga, Latvians appear to agree with their former president, that no judgements should yet be made on her replacement. "Well, one cannot make any judgement yet concerning him, he has just begun his work. I think his confession of those financial gifts is positive," said Andrejs Sergejevics. "Let's wait for some three or four months and see what happens. Then it should become at once obvious, but now I cannot say anything - neither bad nor good. Let's hope for the best," Augusts Radovskis, added. Latvia's presidency is a largely ceremonial post, although it has a key role in promoting foreign relations and limited powers in shaping legislation.

ITN Source | July 10, 2007

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