RIGA – Latvia’s ruling coalition is facing increased political pressure ahead of a high profile Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Tuesday.

LPP/LC head Ainārs Šlesers prompted speculation over the strength of the ruling coalition Monday when he said the party had formed a plan to bring the country out of the crisis.

Šlesers said that if the Valdis Dombrovskis-led government was unable to agree on a plan then LPP/LC would withdraw its support and collapse the coalition, and that the party was prepared to take responsibility of the country before next year’s elections.

LETA reported that Šlesers criticized the prime minister for pandering to the demands of international lenders by continuing to cut the budget.

Šlesers said that international lenders should focus on warming up the whole economy, rather than concentrating on the financial sector.

Dombrovskis, however, was quick to highlight the stability of the coalition.

“The government is stable, and no single party has expressed its intention to withdraw [from the coalition],” the prime minister told journalists following a Monday meeting with President Valdis Zatlers.

Finance Minister Einars Repše (JL) also replied to the comments, saying that the government should remain unified until next year’s elections.

“My conviction is that this government has to continue work until the next Saeima elections,” Repše said.

The comments came ahead of a major Cabinet meeting called by President Valdis Zatlers.

Zatlers said the outcome of the meeting would be an indication of the government’s stability.

“If the government emerges from tomorrow’s meeting a joint team, then that will be an achievement,” the president said.