Coalition partners in Riga City Council – New Unity (JV), National Alliance/Latvian Association of Regions (NA/LRA) and Kods Rīgai (KR – have decided to take the initiative to compose a new coalition. They also expect Par/Progressive (PP) to withdraw their previously voiced “false claims”.
At a press-conference on Monday, the 3rd of July, vice-mayor Vilnis Ķirsis mentioned that
PP should withdraw its claims about covering up the possible wasting of EUR 7 million in the Transport Department, the alleged failure to secure asphalt layers in the streets of Riga,
betrayal of coalition partners and other alleged misdeeds.
Coalition partners believe it is possible to compose a new coalition, continue already initiated tasks only through teamwork. They believe the decision by Mārtiņš Staķis to step down from his post as Mayor of Riga was anti-governmental, because it puts at risk the city council’s stability.
According to them, members of Riga City Council should do what they can to prevent snap elections, because it could lead to “anti-governmental forces coming to power in the capital city”.
This is why the three coalition partners have decided to take the initiative in the creation of a new coalition.
As LETA was told by PP faction leader Mārtiņš Kossovičs, he would like know for which statements his party should apologize. He said the decision to compose a new committee to investigate possible violations at the Transport Department was nothing more than a cover-up of waste of funding.
As previously reported, on Monday, the 3rd of July, Mayor of Riga Mārtiņš Staķis announced his decision to step down. He said he made this decision because he cannot take responsibility for the city council’s decisions.
According to him, his former coalition partners –
New Unity, National Alliance/Latvian Association of Regions and Kods Rīgai – have basically composed a different majority with Harmony, Honour to Serve Riga and For Latvia’s Development, adding that decisions are made in other offices, instead of together with PP faction.
One confirmation of that was the vote for the creation of a new investigative committee for the purpose of investigating possible violations at he Transport Department. In it the former coalition partners voted in line with Harmony. Because of that, Staķis says he cannot take responsibility for the city council’s decisions and why he decided to step down.
On the 16th of June Riga City Executive Director Jānis Lange signed an order to suspend acting director of Riga City Council Transport Department Jānis Vaivods and Chief of Transport Infrastructure Office Andrejs Urtāns for the duration of the investigation of a disciplinary case.
Officials were suspended following a whistle-blower’s report and the inspections that followed soon after. During the investigation officials uncovered severe violations that point to illegal and wasteful actions in relation to road restoration work.
This whole situation only outlined the discord among coalition partners New Unity and Par/Progresssive. The two sides have different opinions on who should be entrusted with investigating the possible violations.
On the 29th of June, after hours of heated discussions and exchange of accusations, Riga City Council approved the legislative draft suggested by New Unity in regards to the formation of a new committee to investigate possible violations in the Transport Department. Debates were so heated, in fact, that some deputies allowed the conflict could lead to snap elections in Riga.
Also read: Mārtiņš Staķis decides to step down as Mayor of Riga