Coalition with Harmony impossible, but otherwise Riga City Council’s National Alliance group is free to take its own decisions - Dzintars

RIGA - The National Alliance group cannot form a coalition with Harmony on the Riga City Council, but otherwise the group is free to take its own decisions, National Alliance chairman Raivis Dzintars told LETA.

The politician said that as far as all other possible options are concerned, the city council’s National Alliance group is best positioned to assess all pros and cons.

Asked if the National Alliance group might decide to enter a coalition with the four council members who have been expelled from Harmony and have now established the group of independent lawmakers, Dzintars said that such a partnership could not be ruled out and that it was up to the National Alliance group to decide on such an option.

Dzintars said he personally wanted a new coalition without Harmony to be formed in Riga as soon as possible. However, politicians from the “old coalition” can still agree on a new partnership again, Dzintars said.

As reported, Riga’s ruling coalition has lost stable majority on the city council. The coalition of Harmony and Honor to Serve Riga (GKR) now has 28 votes on the city council, including 17 Harmony votes and 11 GKR votes.

Meanwhile, the opposition has been left with 25 councilors – for from Unity, six from the National Alliance, seven from the New Conservative Party (JKP) and eight of For Development of Latvia.

The four councilmen who have been expelled from Harmony have formed the Group of Independent Lawmakers. Druvis Kleins and Imants Keiss, who have been expelled from JKP, and independent councilman Oskars Putnins have also decided to establish their group.

Earlier this month, Dainis Turlais was deposed as Riga mayor.