The Prime Minister of Latvia has chosen a seasoned diplomat to take over as the country’s new foreign minister, following the departure of the previous minister amidst a scandal involving alleged misuse of government funds.
Baiba Braže, aged 57, currently serving as the ambassador for special tasks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been nominated by the ruling center-right New Unity party, with the endorsement of Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, according to reports from Latvian news agency LETA.
Latvian Television LTV reported that Braže’s official candidacy will be announced on Monday, with a vote of confidence scheduled to take place in the Saiema, Latvia’s parliament, on Thursday.
Braže brings extensive experience to the role, having served in various diplomatic positions including as Latvia’s ambassador to Britain and The Netherlands, as well as holding the position of NATO’s deputy secretary general for public diplomacy from 2020 to 2023.
The resignation of Krišjānis Kariņš, Latvia’s former foreign minister and ex-prime minister, was announced earlier this month, amid an investigation into the use of private charter flights during his time in office from 2019 to 2023.
While there has been no indication of charges against Kariņš himself in connection with the probe, the scandal has caused public outrage in Latvia. Siliņa assumed the role of prime minister in September, following Kariņš’ transition to foreign minister of the Baltic nation, which is a member of both the European Union and NATO.
