Three parties that threatened to quit Latvia's government said on Tuesday they would stay in the coalition for now, heading off a political crisis

Three parties that threatened to quit Latvia's government said on Tuesday they would stay in the coalition for now, heading off a political crisis in the state days after it voted to join the European Union. "We are not leaving the coalition," Economy Minister Juris Lujans told Reuters. "I see no reason to leave." His Latvia's First Party had accused Prime Minister Einars Repse of using authoritarian methods and said it would no longer work with him -- threatening to bring down the coalition as it celebrated a strong "yes" in Saturday's referendum on EU entry. The Christian democratic First Party, the conservative For Fatherland and Freedom Party and the Farmers and Greens Party signed an ultimatum on Monday saying they would leave the coalition unless Repse quit. Repse refused and said he was prepared to lead a minority government while trying to form an alternative coalition. Although a coalition meeting on Tuesday failed to give any clear answers about the government's future, the four-party right-wing alliance said they agreed to call a truce with the rebel trio. "The consensus is that we have a truce for the moment, and the coalition will continue to work," said Krisjanis Karins, leader of the parliamentary group of Repse's New Era Party. The rebel trio agreed there was a truce, but both For Fatherland and Freedom and the Farmers and Greens reiterated that they planned to leave unless Repse quit, prolonging the confusion in the country.