Usakovs to be nominated for Riga mayor

Jun 16, 2009
TBT Staff

RIGA- At a meeting of Harmony Center and Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way, leaders announced that they would nominate Harmony Center's Nils Usakovs for Riga mayor.

The Riga City Council will vote for a new mayor on July 1. Ainars Slesers will be nominated for deputy mayor.

In total, Harmony Center will have 26 seats on the Riga City Council which, together with Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way's 12 seats, will give the group 38 of 60 member seats on the council.  

Usakovs received the most votes of individual candidates for mayor, with 62,784 votes. Girts Valdis Kristovskis of the Civic Union party received 36,959 with Slesers ending third with 27,801.   

Usakovs also received the greatest support of all individual candidates at the Riga City Council elections - 62,784 voters gave Usakovs the plus mark in their ballot papers.

More than half of the current Riga City Council members were not re-elected.  

Usakovs is already planning to cut staff at the Riga City Council.

"It will not be possible to reduce the social budget, therefore we will have to look for other ways how to make savings," Usakovs said.

Usakovs as the new Rigamayor, would be responsible for most social matters, while Slesers would be in charge of economic matters.  

"The situation is difficult, we have a long winter ahead of us. Still, we are ready to overcome the crisis," Usakovs said.

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