Latvian President Valdis Zatlers announced in a nationwide TV address on Saturday night that he is dissolving the Parliament in accordance with Article 48 of the Latvian Constitution.

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers delivers a nationwide TV speech in Riga, May 28, 2011. Latvian President Valdis Zatlers announced in a nationwide TV address on Saturday night that he is dissolving the Parliament in accordance with Article 48 of the Latvian Constitution. [Xinhua]

In his address, Zatlers noted that Thursday's vote to block a corruption probe in the parliament "sounded like a siren warning of a serious conflict between the legislative power and judiciary."

Latvian Parliament on Thursday denied the Corruption Prevention Bureau(CPB)'s request to search the home of lawmaker Ainars Slesers.

The parliament in its vote showed contempt for the judiciary, and not for the first time, he said, adding that the 9th Parliament had failed to appoint the Prosecutor General, nominated by the top official of the judiciary.

The lawmakers have been bargaining for interests, instead of thinking about the national and national economic interests, he said.

The Parliament has shown that it defends only its personal interests, the president said. "We've seen that the Parliament feels comfortable to the atmosphere surrounded by lies, which seriously affected the Government's work."

Before giving the TV address, Zatlers met with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, Parliament Speaker Solvita Aboltina, and Prosecutor General Eriks Kalnmeiers earlier in the day to discuss the situation in Latvia.

Latvian is set to hold presidential election on June 2. The parliament party groups nominated two candidates including outgoing President Valdis Zatlers. General opinion polls conducted by local media showed that none of the two candidates can win out in the first round of vote.