Construction, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Retail

The councilmen have not indicated why they are demanding resignation, however, Bartkevics himself said after talking to the nine, that one of the main reasons for their move could be associated with local retail traders' interests. "To put it bluntly, they want to avoid competition and prevent the arrival of the Rimi chain store," said Bartkevics.

The petition has been signed by Arturs Mangulis (Latvian Green Party), three councilmen elected to the region council from the joint ticket of All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK and Latvia's Farmers Union – Egils Helmanis, Dainis Sirovs and Maris Silins, Dzintra Mozule (All For Latvia, Civic Union), Ilga Vecziedina (Association "Residents"), Juris Laizans (Harmony Center), and two members of Bartkevics' party For Ogre Region – Ineta Tamane un Andrejs Ceplitis.

Speaking with LETA, Helmanis denied that the nine councilmen wanted Bartkevics to step down over some particular matter. "The question is, how long can one person stay on as the head of a local government. There has to be rotation and new faces," said the councilman.

He added that Bartkevics had problems in communicating with other Ogre Region Council members, as well as with local residents.

According to the Law on Local Governments, the head of a local government may be sacked if this is demanded in a motion signed by no less than one-third of the municipality's members, and if no less than one half of them votes for removing the council chairperson. The Ogre Region Council has a total of seventeen members.

The Ogre Region Council is to vote on Bartkevics on April 15 at the latest.

The Ogre Region Council has been unable to reach agreement with local residents on construction of a Rimi supermarket on Parka Street in Ogre. The construction of the store is envisaged in the region's development strategy approved in 2006, but every time the municipality begins to review the matter, it is always postponed due to local residents' objections.

The Ogre Region Council last considered the matter at the beginning of this year when reconstruction of Parka Street was discussed. A public opinion survey once again indicated that local residents disapproved of the proposal to build a "Rimi" supermarket on the street.