Riga  - A difference of opinion became evident Monday between Latvia's outgoing and incoming prime ministers when acting prime minister Ivars Godmanis, who resigned on February 20, denied the Baltic state was on the verge of bankruptcy, as claimed by prime minister-designate Valdis Dombrovskis.

Speaking at a news conference held jointly with acting finance minister Atis Slakteris, Godmanis said Dombrovskis' statement was "just rhetoric" with purely political motivations behind it.

Riga - Former government coalition partners and opposition parties were jockeying for position in Latvia Monday following the resignation of incumbent prime minister Ivars Godmanis on February 20.

While Godmanis continued in a caretaker capacity, President Valdis Zatlers mulled the possible replacements nominated by each political party represented in Latvia's
100-seat parliament, the Saeima.

According to the Latvian constitution, which Zatlers himself has said requires overhauling to make it easier for the electorate to dissolve parliament, the collapse of one government does not lead to fresh elections.

Riga - Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis was due for a make-or-break meeting with President Valdis Zatlers on Monday after the president said he had lost confidence in his prime minister.

The two leaders were due to meet at 4 pm (1400 GMT) following a weekend in which local media speculated that Godmanis could be about to resign.

Riga  - Latvian prime minister Ivars Godmanis survived a vote of no confidence comfortably in the national parliament or Saeima on Wednesday.

The motion against the embattled prime minister was lost by 40 votes to 51 after a debate lasting more than five hours.

"We are in the same situation as much of the rest of the world and it will require a lot of work - a lot," Godmanis told parliamentarians in a powerful address before the vote.

Riga - Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis sustained

Riga  - Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis appeared Tuesday to back a controversial plan by his defence minister to buy 25 horses for an honour guard to welcome visiting dignitaries.

"I cannot agree it is a waste of money," Goodmanis said of the horse project that would cost 120,000 lats (250,000 dollars) from a defence budget of 304 million lats, plus
70,000 lats annual upkeep.

The horse guard would revive a tradition and could also be used in sporting events such as the modern pentathlon, said the premier, who originally questioned the idea.