President expects reasoned proposals for revising administrative-territorial reform

RIGA - President Edgars Rinkevics is expecting well-thought-out and reasoned proposals for revising the administrative-territorial reform, as the president's advisor Martins Dregeris told LETA.

Several MPs and Saeima groups have proposed considerable changes to the recent administrative-territorial reform and to split several regions to restore Babite, Carnikava, Ikskile, Ilukste, Kandava and Ozolnieki regions.

Rinkevics expects every such proposal to be well thought out and warns against any premature decisions. He also says that he is ready to review all individual amendments once they are endorsed by Saeima.

Originally the amendments stipulated only one change, the long-planned merger of Varaklani and Madona regions, but then several Saeima groups proposed much wider changes to the administrative-territorial reform, for example, by calling off merging cities with their surrounding regions and by dividing a number of regions that had just been formed.

Former Carnikava Region Council chairwoman, now Saeima Speaker Daiga Mierina (Greens/Farmers) has submitted amendments on restoration of Carnikava, Babite, Ilukste and Ozolnieki regions. Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze (Greens/Farmers) proposes restoring Ilukste Region, and MP Maris Sprindzuks (United List) wants Carnikava Region back.

Another two MPs from the Greens/Farmers Union, Andrejs Vilks and Anita Brakovska propose the creation of a new Ziemelkurzeme (North Kurzeme) Region with an administrative center in Roja. The municipality would be made up of Dundaga, Kolka, Mersrags and Roja counties.

MP Juris Vilums (United List) believes that Varaklani should not be merged with Madona Region but remain a separate region that would also include Atasiene, Deksare, Liepna, Krustpils, Kukas, Mezare, Variesi and Vipe counties.

Augusts Brigmanis, deputy chairman of the Greens/Farmers Saeima group, as well as Edgars Tavars (United List) and Janis Vitenbergs (National Alliance) propose restoration of Kandava Region, which is currently part of Tukums Region. They suggest that the restored Kandava Region would consist of Kandava town and counties of Kandava, Cere, Matkule, Vane, Zante and Zemite.

MPs Tavars and the Greens/Farmers' Andris Berzins and Gunars Kutris propose restoration of Babite Region, splitting it off Marupe Region, which would have its administrative center in Pinki and be made up of Babite and Sala counties.

The United List's Saeima group also proposes restoration of Ikskile Region and Ozolnieki Region. According to their proposal, Ikskile Region would consist of the town of Ikskile and Tinuzi County, while Ozolnieki Region would consist of Ozolnieki, Cenas and Salgale counties.

Tavars and Mierina believe that Garkalne County, currently part of Adazi Region, should go to Ropazi Region.