As the new parliament starts work, political changes expected in local governments in Riga and Pieriga

RIGA - As the new parliament starts work, significant political changes are expected in local governments in Riga and Pieriga as several local lawmakers will leave their jobs for work at the parliament.

Riga will see a change of the vice mayor as Edvards Smiltens (National Alliance/Latvia's Association of Regions) has been elected to the parliament from the United List.

Smiltens told LETA that when the work at the Riga City Council was started, an agreement was made with cooperation partners, the National Alliance, that half of the term at the Riga City Council the vice mayor is from the Latvia's Association of Regions, Smiltens, and the other half - National Alliance's representative Einars Cilinskis. Smiltens' term in the office expires in March.

Also, Riga local lawmaker Ieva Brante might work at the parliament with a soft mandate when any of the United List parliament lawmakers are appointed to the government.

There is a similar situation with the National Alliance and Riga city council lawmaker Jurgis Klotins.

Riga City Council lawmakers Edmunds Cepurits and Antonina Nenaseva from the Progressives have also been elected to the parliament.

Most believable, two Riga City Council lawmakers from the New Unity will also start work at the parliament - Ugis Rotbergs, and also Edmunds Jurevics who is likely to get the soft mandate.

Among Pieriga municipalities, the biggest changes are ahead at Adazi municipality as Adazi mayor Maris Sprindzuks has been elected to the parliament from the United List. Sprindzuks told LETA that he will work at the parliament, and, if possible, he will also participate in the work of the government. 

Sprindzuks said he has many plans and ideas that should be done in order to improve the situation in municipalities, including correcting mistakes of the regional reform.

Salaspils regional mayor Raimonds Cudars (New Unity) also has been elected to the parliament.

Ropazi municipality will also see changes as Hosams Abu Meri, elected from the New Unity, will start work at the parliament.

As reported, New Unity achieved the best result in last Saturday's parliamentary elections by winning 26 mandates in the 14th Saeima. The Union of Greens and Farmers follows with 16, United List with 15, National Alliance with 13, For Stability with 11, Progressives with 10 and Latvia First with nine mandates.