Elections, Latvia, Legislation

The bill, which has been drawn up by the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry, was supported by a majority of ministers, with only Welfare Minister Ramona Petravica (KPV LV) and Interior Minister Sandis Girgens (KPV LV) voting against it. 

Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Juris Puce argued that Riga City Council should be dissolved because it had systematically failed to deal with the waste management issues in Riga. 

Puce also indicated that the ministry has taken into consideration the State Chancellery's objections and added the necessary reasoning to the bill. Representatives of the State Chancellery agreed that the document has been brought in line with the Chancellery's recommendations.

The government also decided that the draft legislation has to be passed in a fast-track procedure and asked Saeima to call an extraordinary meeting this Wednesday, December 18, to review the bill. 

As reported, the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry has decided to initiate dissolution of the Riga City Council because the local authority has repeatedly failed to fulfill one of its functions - to ensure the provision of waste management services in the city.

Environment Protection and Regional Development Minister Juris Puce explained in a press conference on December 6 that the ministry had repeatedly pointed at the violations in provision of waste management services in the Latvian capital.

"In eight months, for a second time emergency situation has been declared and the local government has not fulfilled its function. Operations of the Riga City Council not only are illegal, but also do not meet interests of the society," the minister said.

The minister has demanded explanations from the Riga City Council on how it plans to solve the situation, but there had been no proper response. "Detecting threat to democracy and the rule of law, I have to react and prevent such threat," the minister explained his decision to initiate dissolution of the Riga City Council.

He said that the ministry has drawn up a bill on dissolution of the Riga City Council. The bill sets February 29, 2020, as the date for the snap elections of the new Riga City Council.