RIGA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Greens and Farmers Union, the leading partner in Latvia's current center-right coalition government, may be sidelined from talks on the Baltic country's next coalition as the New Conservative Party insists on leaving the Greens and Farmers in opposition, local media reported Wednesday.
With talks on the new coalition getting under way after last week's general election, the New Conservative Party, which together with KPV LV received the second highest voter support after leftist Harmony, has said it would not cooperate with the Greens and Farmers in forming the new government.
Since election winner Harmony is unlikely to attract any partners to form a majority government, the New Conservative Party has started talks with other political parties that have won mandates in the new parliament.
After meeting with representatives of the Greens and Farmers Union on Wednesday, New Conservative Party leader Janis Bordans said he only envisaged cooperation with the Greens and Farmers as a constructive opposition in the parliament, but ruled out its involvement in a government led by the New Conservative Party.
Greens and Farmers Union chairman Armands Krauze said after the talks, which only lasted 20 minutes, that his party would continue negotiations with other potential partners.
Even before the parliamentary election Bordans had been skeptical about teaming up with the Greens and Farmers. "We would be glad if the new government could be formed without the Greens and Farmers Union and Harmony," he said on public radio in July.
Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis plans to hold formal consultations with the parties that have won representation in the new parliament next Thursday and Friday.
