Latvia is likely to see its second parliamentary elections in under a year after President Valdis Zatlers called for a dissolution of the Saeima amid a corruption cover up.
Politicians voted to block a corruption inquest into one of the country's most notorious oligarchs and member of parliament, Ainars Slesers. The investigation into possible corruption by Slesers was one of the biggest cases ever by the anti-corruption watch dog.
Zatlers dissolved the parliament, but the decision must be upheld by a popular referendum, which is to be held in two months.
"Parliament showed disrespect and mistrust of the competency of the judicial authorities,” Reuters quoted President Zatlers as saying. "I have taken a decision to act in a radical way."
"The Saeima vote on Thursday unfortunately is like a siren that warns about a serious conflict between legislative power and the justice system - two of the three powers on which our country is based," he said.
Zatlers said that the last seven months had been a time of political "scheming and lies," while the people of Latvia took hit after hit to survive the last three years since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2008.
Zatlers' own election for another term as president is to be held this week and he has admitted that his move may see him lose a lot of popularity.
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