Latvian Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks called the rights to cancel regulation issued by local governments and remove officials are disproportionate, he said in an interview to LTV programme Rīta panorāma.
He stressed that the topic of Riga’s development plan needs to be resolved as quickly as possible, adding that this could be done by amending the Law on Preservation and Protection of the Historic Centre of Riga. The coalition may tackle this issue during its meeting on the 9th of January. Proposition of amendments and their review may take two months.
Amendments would allow two open plans – this would be the fastest way to resolve this situation. The most important aspect, according to the minister, is unblocking Riga to ensure the city can receive investments.
«This is not normal for the economic engine to remain still just becomes two politicians argued,»
Sprindžuks said about the relationship between his predecessor and Riga City Council.
He also said the mistake of the existing regulations in Latvia revolve around the minister’s right to halt regulations adopted by local governments and the right to remove municipal officials. Sprindžuks believes this is disproportionate. According to him, it would be fairer if courts of law resolved topics of legal nature argued over by different sides.
«The situation with Riga indicates possible political interests and the will to show whose arm is longer, but the entire country suffers as a result,» said the minister, adding that the Saeima should look if such rights are justified and whether the state government should put more trust in local governments.
As previously reported, the Constitutional Court has initiated a case in which Riga City Council challenges the decision of Latvia’s previous Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Artūrs Toms Plešs to halt Riga’s development plan.
According to the former minister, territorial planning was done poorly. «Had this plan been adopted, we would have seen a situation when Riga’s historical centre ended up in a situation without a valid and legal territorial plan,» said Artūrs Toms Plešs about the plan and his decision to halt it.
According to Riga City Council’s decision, the city was to have basically two mutually uncoordinated territorial plans, which is against the law.
More on this topic: Latvian Ministry of Regional Development halts Riga’s territorial planning