Riga City Council actions irresponsible - Dombrovskis

RIGA - From a financial standpoint, the actions of the Riga City Council are irresponsible. The municipality's current strategy is to live above its means, playing "the years of abundance"," Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) told the LNT morning show "900 sekundes" today.

Asked whether Unity and Reform Party talks on running together in the 2013 municipal elections are intended to weaken Harmony Center's influence in the Riga City Council, the prime minister pointed out that the talks "are not held against anyone, but on stabilizing the situation in the municipality".

"Our goal is to ensure quality work by the municipality, so that it would live within its means, instead of practicing populism," said Dombrovskis.

Unity does not exclude the possibility that the party could also have consultations with other parties on its strategy for the upcoming municipal elections. The first consultations were held with Reform Party, however, no specific decisions were made. There will be some kind of cooperation between both parties, however, those were only the first consultations, said the prime minister.

In response to PM’s statements, Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs (Harmony Center) emphasized that he will not allow Dombrovskis' right-wing policies in Riga, LETA was informed by the Riga City Council's Public Relations Department.

"Lying does not suit the prime minister, even if he represents Unity. The municipality covers its budget deficit and all liabilities and the expense of its provisions, as opposed to the government, which runs around borrowing and granting control over the country in return," said Usakovs.