Harmony to hold rally in support of Usakovs

RIGA - Harmony party will hold a rally at the Town Hall Square in downtown Riga on February 9 to express support for Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs, who is also Harmony's leader.

The rally at the Riga City Council will continue from 12 noon to 3 p.m., LETA learned from the municipality. Harmony hopes that about 1,000 people will turn out. The goal of the rally is to give residents opportunity to express their opinion about the recent developments in Latvia and Riga.

However, judging from Riga City Council member Vitalijs Dubovs (Harmony) post on Facebook, the rally is to express support for the Riga mayor. "To calumniate Nils is easier than to win elections. They have crossed the line, we're taking to the streets," said Dubovs.

As reported, the Riga City Council has again been rocked by the corruption scandal at the municipal public transport company Rigas Satiksme. The Corruption Prevention Bureau searched Usakovs' office and home as part of the ongoing investigation.

Usakovs told journalists after the searches at his office and home that he has committed no criminal offenses and would therefore not resign as Riga mayor. Harmony believes that yesterday's searches at Usakovs' offices and residence are "a politically motivated attempt by one party to change the election results".