LRA plans to team up with For Development of Latvia for participation in local elections

RIGA - The Latvian Association of Regions (LRA) plans to unite forces with For Development of Latvia party for participation in upcoming local elections, Latvia’s Diena daily reports today.

LRA leader Martins Bondars says in the interview with Diena that the party’s representatives decided at a meeting this week that LRA can accept the proposed partnership agreement and a joint ticket with For Development of Latvia.

Asked how important it is to him to be the top candidate in the elections, Bondars said: “This is what people are urging me to do, to take this decision, but there is no such decision yet and the question is not about candidates now, but rather about a comprehensive program that could compete with Riga’s current administration.”

According to the draft partnership agreement which has been obtained by Diena, of the 63 candidates running on the joint ticket 32 would represent the political parties and 31 would be independent candidates. Bondars confirmed that this information was more or less correct, with “slight inaccuracies”.

The parties are also planning to work together for the next four years regardless of their success in the local elections, Bondars said.

LRA sits in opposition in Saeima, whereas For Development in Latvia is not represented in Latvia’s current parliament.