LATVIAN PRESIDENT CRITICIZES ENDZINS CANDIDACY

UNCLAS RIGA 000415 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL LG SUBJECT: LATVIAN PRESIDENT CRITICIZES ENDZINS CANDIDACY REF: A) RIGA 411, B) RIGA 402 ¶1. (U) Summary: Indirectly, but quite clearly, criticizing the presidential candidacy of Aivars Endzins, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga stated in an interview on Latvian State Radio May 30 that she is critical of the possibility that the next president might be a person who had worked in the Communist Party for many years. While not indicating support for the ruling coalition's candidate, Valdis Zatlers, Vike-Freiberga's criticism of Endzins reduces his already slim chances of being elected to almost nothing. ¶2. (U) Vike-Freiberga was interviewed on Latvian State Radio the morning of May 30 (a day before the parliament will vote to elect the next president),where she said "It is one of the reasons I was so successful in foreign policy during my presidency that I could speak about Latvia's past as something that Latvia has turned away from. That Latvia was a hostage of the system. And that Latvia has now gladly turned to the Western values and the free market system". She continued that that "it would not be possible for a person who has been in high positions in the Communist Party for 30 years to continue the same story". The comments were a not so veiled reference to the personal history of opposition presidential candidate and former Chair of Latvia's Constitutional Court, Aivars Endzins. Endzins was a member of the Communist Party during the Soviet occupation, though he was a leader in the movement to restore Latvia's independence at the end of that era (reftel B). ¶3. (U) The President also took aim at the political party that nominated Endzins, left-leaning and ethnic Russian-based Harmony Center (SC). "I, as the president, have certain classified information about financing for the party, which makes me concerned about their loyalty to Latvia's interests," Vike-Freiberga said. ¶4. (U) By mid-day, Endzins replied in the press to the criticism and explained that Vike-Freiberga's statements about his activities in the Communist Party were based on revenge for his opposition in 2004 to a real estate deal which involved the president's family (and was ultimately stopped after questions arose regarding possible improprieties in the efforts to change the zoning of a beach-front property to allow construction). ¶5. (U) Harmony Center also issued a press release asking President Vike-Freiberga to provide an explanation as to what particular violations of party financing rules SC has committed and which of the party's financing sources raise concern about the loyalty of SC deputies towards the Latvian state. SC also asked the president if she has doubts about the loyalty of all 17 of their Saeima deputies or of only individual SC parliamentarians. ¶6. (U) In the radio interview, the President did not directly support the ruling coalition's presidential candidate, Valdis Zatlers, but when questioned about Zatlers' admitted acceptance of "gratitude money" from his patients, Vike-Freiberga is reported to have said that it is unclear presently whether accepting extra payments from grateful patients is an offense and that she believes this system must be legalized. ¶7. (U) Comment: The weight that Vike-Freiberga's voice carries in Latvian politics and society is immense, and her criticism of Endzins makes it highly doubtful that he will receive enough votes in the Saeima (parliament) to be elected, especially given that he needed several defections from the ruling coalition's deputies. The ruling coalition had previously tried to raise the issue of Endzins' Communist past, but given their lack of political stature and the past Communist Party affiliation of many of its own deputies, the charges didn't stick. President Vike-Freiberga's comments, however, carry clout and could be a decisive factor in the waning moments of the election process. End comment. WASER