Several departments within Riga City Council are struggling with decision-making, Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs (Progressives) said in an interview with Latvian Television.
“What has shocked me most in recent months is that there are also problems even bringing issues to the leadership. Sometimes, apparently, people are afraid or feel uncomfortable,” he stated.
He made the comment in response to the fact that the City Council’s Outdoor Space and Mobility Department, when refusing to grant an exemption for grain carriers to cross the city center due to ongoing major roadworks, argued that it could not create a special exception only for agricultural heavy transport, as that would require opening the way for all freight transport.
Kleinbergs also noted that farmers had not received an answer to their request for a month.
In his view, this case illustrates why the department urgently needs a new director.
“At the moment, there is essentially no leadership there,” he said.
As reported, the department explained that lifting current restrictions on freight transport would allow all freight vehicles to use the route, which in turn would create even more congestion and disrupt traffic across the city. Taking this into account, the department decided not to lift the restrictions.
This decision caused outrage among the “Farmers’ Saeima” organization, prompting Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze (Union of Greens and Farmers) to get involved, reminding the city about the declared state of emergency in agriculture.
Later, Riga’s mayor also intervened, instructing the municipality to ensure that, starting from the 3rd of September, farmers would be able to deliver their harvest to Riga Port. “I believe the Outdoor Space and Mobility Department’s decision was wrong. That is why I have ordered that from the 3rd of September grain transport must be allowed to reach Riga Port around the clock, so that farmers’ harvest deliveries are not delayed,” the mayor previously emphasized.
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