It would be best to agree on borders of several Latvian municipalities by the end of the Saima’s spring session. The start of autumn should be the absolute deadline, says the chairman of Saeima Public Administration and Local Government Committee Oļegs Burovs.
As for the attempt to reach an agreement about Garkalne, Burovs invited members of Ādaži and Ropaži councils to delegate representatives for a workgroup to look for a solution together. Representatives from Riga Planning Region, Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development and Saeima Public Administration and Local Government Committee can be invited to the workgroup as observers, the politician said.
Ādaži should also make an official decision whether or not they agree with the decision from Ropaži Council, which would help talks to progress, said Burovs. Most importantly, the solution must comply with the criteria set out in the annotation to the Law on Administrative Territories and Settlements regarding the number of residents in development and administrative centers.
If Ādaži and Ropaži fail to reach an agreement by the start of autumn, the borders of the two counties will remain unchanged, said the head of the Saeima committee.
Burovs explained that to make any decisions about changes to borders of municipalities, it is first necessary for the Saeima to wait for the government’s legislative decision on adding Varakļāni County to Madona County. This could be submitted to the parliament around March.
The politician said that there are other municipalities that want to change their borders. For example, there has been talk of Babīte’s possible separation from Mārupe County. This topic will be discussed if a proposal is submitted, said Burovs.
As previously reported, so far Ropaži and Ādaži municipalities have not been able to agree on the division of Garkalne between the two counties.
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