LATVIAN COALITION GOVERNMENT SLOW TO FORM.

The center-right party Latvian Way, mainstay of the outgoing government, has decided to join the five center-right and right-wing parties of the National Bloc in forming a new coalition government after the September 30-October 1 elections. The coalition´s parties would command a total of only 47 seats in the 100-seat parliament. Latvian Way proposes coopting to the coalition "any of the center-left parties in order to form a stable and efficient government." (10)

The center-left parties are the National Accord party, led by former foreign minister Janis Jurkans, which advocates faster naturalization of Soviet-era settlers; and the newcomer Democratic Owners´ party, which promotes protectionism and other forms of state support to Latvia´s producers. Both parties favor greater reliance on the Russian market. Their inclusion in the government would risk slowing down Latvia´s progress toward a full-fledged market economy and Euroatlantic integration.

Duma Votes to Freeze Russian Naval Presence in Crimea.