Latvia, Legislation

In the previous local government elections four years ago, 60% voted for Lembergs' party.

Alliance of Regions/Reform Party took 10.97% of the vote in Ventspils, Unity 7.98% and Harmony Center 5.39%.

All For Latvia-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK has not been elected to Ventspils City Council with 3.64% of the vote, as well as People's Control with 1.19% of the vote.

In total, 10,245 eligible voters participated in the Ventspils City Council election.

For Latvia and Ventspils will have nine seats on Ventspils City Council, Alliance of Regions/Reform Party two, and Unity and Harmony Center – one each.

Aivars Lembergs is very pleased with the results of the Ventspils City Council election, where his For Latvia and Ventspils has won 69.44% of the vote.

Lembergs says this victory is particularly important given a seven-and-a-half-month mudslinging campaign against him by the government of Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity), Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Edmunds Sprudzs (Reform Party) and members of Unity's Saeima group Lolita Cigane, Andrejs Judins and Aleksejs Loskutovs. "There has been nothing like that before. In this context, the almost 70% support for our party proves that even lies cannot ruin our reputation with Ventspils residents," says Lembergs.

Commenting on possible cooperation with the other parties elected to the Ventspils City Council, Lembergs notes that his party will have a convincing majority, nevertheless, it is open for constructive cooperation with other parties. He adds, however, that cooperation with Reform Party members Aivis Landmanis and Vladislavs Safranskis will be impossible, because the two vote as they are told by their superiors. "We cannot cooperate with councilmen who vote against kindergartens and children's playgrounds," adds Lembergs.