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This, however, does not explain whether the four councilmen will support the coalition or the opposition.

Riga Vice-Mayor Vadims Baranniks said that the new group would be called the "Group of Independent Councilors" and Vitalijs Petrovs would be the group's head.

According to councilor Aleksejs Roslikovs, the recent developments marked a "logical termination" of Harmony's policy of treating its deputies as if they were "voting machines", without even letting them ask any questions.

Roslikovs said that information about the processes at municipal companies that had come to light in recent weeks raised questions about the validity and meaning of the decisions made by the coalition. "It was important for us to understand why we vote one way or another, what our decisions mean and how they will be controlled. Unfortunately, our group's leaders did not support our initiative and we had to act more actively to make our position clear," said the politician.

Roslikovs went on to say that the coalition's remarks about extraordinary elections were "hysterical and destructive" as there were 60 deputies at the Riga City Council, most of which could continue their work. "Why do they [the coalition] think that, if they no longer hold the power, there must be extraordinary elections? Has someone privatized the Riga City Council?"

Roslikovs also pointed out that work on the 2020 Riga budget would start in the coming months, and snap elections would torpedo the city council's work. Furthermore, several Riga City Council members could consider joining the new independent group, he added, without revealing which councilors those were.

Members of the new group categorically rejected allegations made by the coalition members that they were engaged in "blackmail and vying for top posts." "We already had [high-ranking] positions - of the vice-mayor and a committee chairman. We were ready to sacrifice these posts to stop the "voting machine". We knew what was at stake when we started all this" said the councilmen.

The new group's head Petrovs said that his group would cooperate with all deputies elected to the Riga City Council. "We have no red lines. We are ready to talk to all council members, and we are asking them to ensure stability at the municipality in the future as well," said Petrovs.