A diplomat has been appointed as Latvia's new foreign minister as the current president resigned following the flight scandal

HELSINKI (AP) — Latvia's prime minister has tapped an experienced diplomat to become the Baltic states' new foreign minister after the current president resigned earlier this week amid criminal charges over alleged misuse of government funds.

Latvia's LETA news agency reported on Saturday that the ruling centre-right New Unity party has decided to support the candidacy of 57-year-old Baiba Braje, a special envoy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following Prime Minister Evika Silina's endorsement.

.Latvian TV channel LTV reports that Braje's candidacy will be officially announced on Monday and deputies of the 100-seat Latvian parliament, the Saeima, will vote on a motion of confidence in him on Thursday.

Among other positions, Braje previously served as Latvia's ambassador to the UK and the Netherlands, and served as NATO's Deputy Secretary General for Public Diplomacy from 2020 to 2023.

Kristianis Karins, Latvia's former top diplomat and ex-prime minister, announced his intention to resign this month on March 28. His decision came after Karinsh's office was prosecuted for using expensive private charter flights during his time. He was the prime minister in 2019-2023.

There is no word on whether Karinsh himself is being charged as part of the investigation into the scandal, which began last year and sparked outrage among Latvians. Silina took up Latvia's top public office in September, when Karinš became the EU and NATO member country's foreign minister.

Associated Press