RIGA — Lolita Čigāne, head of the non-governmental organization Delna, has announced that she will throw her hat into Latvia’s tumultuous political ring by teaming up with former Diena editor Sarmīte Ēlerte in the October elections.

The widely-respected Čigāne said Tuesday she was quitting her post as head of Delna, an organization that has fought against corruption in Latvia’s heavily graft-ridden system, and would join the recently formed nonprofit The Meierovics Society for Progressive Change.

“I resigned as [private_supervisor]Delna council chairwoman to ensure that Delna can carry on with the monitoring of political processes neutrally and impartially, without suspicions of acting in the interests of a political group,” Čigāne said in a brief statement.

Čigāne told the Delfi portal she made her decision after being asked by Ēlerte to join the effort to change the country’s political system. She added that for now it is unclear whether she will be included in the list of non-affiliated candidates for parliamentary seats that Ēlerte is compiling.

The list will apparently be proposed together with lists from each of the parties in the Unity union — New Era, Society for a Different Politics, and Civil Union. It is not entirely clear how these separate lists will be merged into one master list, and already some Unity leaders are expressing doubts about non-party individuals such as Čigāne being included.

Sarmita Aboltiņa, head of New Era, said that, while she supported Čigāne’s decision to become involved in politics, she felt that independent persons should join one of the political parties in Unity.

“We want to make the political process open, so they [independents] ought to join one party or another [in the Unity bloc]. That’s my opinion and the opinion of our party,” she said. “Who will be responsible for an independent deputy?”

Unity’s rating has soared over the past month due to an increasing perception that it can overhaul Latvia’s sordid political system. According to one recent poll, the party has surpassed the center-left Harmony Center as the most popular.

Meanwhile, Delna, the local affiliate of Transparency International, said that it would miss Čigāne’s leadership and would continue with its mission of fighting for transparency in public policy.

“This is a loss for Delna, but on the other hand I can welcome that a good person has decision to change something in politics by working on the inside,” said Delna board member Aivars Enziņš. “Latvia’s politics will undoubtedly benefit.” [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Delna council chairwoman to ensure that Delna can carry on with the monitoring of political processes neutrally and impartially, without suspicions of acting in the interests of a political group,” Čigāne said in a brief statement.

Čigāne told the Delfi portal she made her decision after being asked by Ēlerte to join the effort to change the country’s political system. She added that for now it is unclear whether she will be included in the list of non-affiliated candidates for parliamentary seats that Ēlerte is compiling.

The list will apparently be proposed together with lists from each of the parties in the Unity union — New Era, Society for a Different Politics, and Civil Union. It is not entirely clear how these separate lists will be merged into one master list, and already some Unity leaders are expressing doubts about non-party individuals such as Čigāne being included.

Sarmita Aboltiņa, head of New Era, said that, while she supported Čigāne’s decision to become involved in politics, she felt that independent persons should join one of the political parties in Unity.

“We want to make the political process open, so they [independents] ought to join one party or another [in the Unity bloc]. That’s my opinion and the opinion of our party,” she said. “Who will be responsible for an independent deputy?”

Unity’s rating has soared over the past month due to an increasing perception that it can overhaul Latvia’s sordid political system. According to one recent poll, the party has surpassed the center-left Harmony Center as the most popular.

Meanwhile, Delna, the local affiliate of Transparency International, said that it would miss Čigāne’s leadership and would continue with its mission of fighting for transparency in public policy.

“This is a loss for Delna, but on the other hand I can welcome that a good person has decision to change something in politics by working on the inside,” said Delna board member Aivars Enziņš. “Latvia’s politics will undoubtedly benefit.” [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Delna council chairwoman to ensure that Delna can carry on with the monitoring of political processes neutrally and impartially, without suspicions of acting in the interests of a political group,” Čigāne said in a brief statement.

Čigāne told the Delfi portal she made her decision after being asked by Ēlerte to join the effort to change the country’s political system. She added that for now it is unclear whether she will be included in the list of non-affiliated candidates for parliamentary seats that Ēlerte is compiling.

The list will apparently be proposed together with lists from each of the parties in the Unity union — New Era, Society for a Different Politics, and Civil Union. It is not entirely clear how these separate lists will be merged into one master list, and already some Unity leaders are expressing doubts about non-party individuals such as Čigāne being included.

Sarmita Aboltiņa, head of New Era, said that, while she supported Čigāne’s decision to become involved in politics, she felt that independent persons should join one of the political parties in Unity.

“We want to make the political process open, so they [independents] ought to join one party or another [in the Unity bloc]. That’s my opinion and the opinion of our party,” she said. “Who will be responsible for an independent deputy?”

Unity’s rating has soared over the past month due to an increasing perception that it can overhaul Latvia’s sordid political system. According to one recent poll, the party has surpassed the center-left Harmony Center as the most popular.

Meanwhile, Delna, the local affiliate of Transparency International, said that it would miss Čigāne’s leadership and would continue with its mission of fighting for transparency in public policy.

“This is a loss for Delna, but on the other hand I can welcome that a good person has decision to change something in politics by working on the inside,” said Delna board member Aivars Enziņš. “Latvia’s politics will undoubtedly benefit.” [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]Delna council chairwoman to ensure that Delna can carry on with the monitoring of political processes neutrally and impartially, without suspicions of acting in the interests of a political group,” Čigāne said in a brief statement.

Čigāne told the Delfi portal she made her decision after being asked by Ēlerte to join the effort to change the country’s political system. She added that for now it is unclear whether she will be included in the list of non-affiliated candidates for parliamentary seats that Ēlerte is compiling.

The list will apparently be proposed together with lists from each of the parties in the Unity union — New Era, Society for a Different Politics, and Civil Union. It is not entirely clear how these separate lists will be merged into one master list, and already some Unity leaders are expressing doubts about non-party individuals such as Čigāne being included.

Sarmita Aboltiņa, head of New Era, said that, while she supported Čigāne’s decision to become involved in politics, she felt that independent persons should join one of the political parties in Unity.

“We want to make the political process open, so they [independents] ought to join one party or another [in the Unity bloc]. That’s my opinion and the opinion of our party,” she said. “Who will be responsible for an independent deputy?”

Unity’s rating has soared over the past month due to an increasing perception that it can overhaul Latvia’s sordid political system. According to one recent poll, the party has surpassed the center-left Harmony Center as the most popular.

Meanwhile, Delna, the local affiliate of Transparency International, said that it would miss Čigāne’s leadership and would continue with its mission of fighting for transparency in public policy.

“This is a loss for Delna, but on the other hand I can welcome that a good person has decision to change something in politics by working on the inside,” said Delna board member Aivars Enziņš. “Latvia’s politics will undoubtedly benefit.” [/private_subscription 1 year]

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