Latvia's foreign minister resigns over charter flight scandal

Latvia's Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins has announced his resignation following allegations in connection with a scandal over business flights.
After a meeting with Prime Minister Evika Silina, he announced on Thursday that he would resign from office on April 10. Parliament could decide on his successor the following day, he said. He then left the government building without another word.
Karins came under criticism for charter flights he had taken during his term of office as prime minister. The 59-year-old was Latvia's head of government from 2019 to 2023 and is said to have travelled abroad around three dozen times on private planes instead of cheaper, scheduled flights during this time.
He has been in his current role as foreign minister of the Baltic EU and NATO country since mid-September 2023.
Latvia's General Prosecutor's Office initiated criminal proceedings last week for the possible waste of public funds in connection with the flights, although these are not directed against him personally.
Karins had rejected the accusations, which have been circulating for months, arguing that the flights had been necessary to save time or to be able to return to Latvia quickly for government business. The politician from the liberal-conservative Jauna Vienotiba party had initially refused to resign.
Silina said that Karins had taken political responsibility in light of the criminal proceedings concerning the flights. She does not yet have a candidate to succeed him.