National Alliance offers Honor to Serve Rīga coalition in Rīga City Council

Take note – story published 4 years ago

The faction of National Alliance at the Rīga City Council has offered its long-time rival, the Honor to Serve Rīga (GKR) party, to form a joint coalition.

That's what Latvian Television reported July 16.

The National Alliance has, however, put forth a number of requirements to GKR. Among those are the transition to Latvian-only education in Rīga's kindergartens, reinstating the Revisions Committee at the council, as well as starting discussion of dismantling monuments glorifying the USSR.

The faction of National Alliance, a conservative party, says it will not cooperate with deputies of Harmony or the independent faction composed of four former GKR/Harmony deputies.

There have been political ruptures at the Rīga City Council. Last week deputies failed to appoint acting mayor Oļegs Burovs (GKR) at a post in the Rīga Free Port, which shows he may not have enough votes to be appointed mayor. 

New elections can be called if the council fails to elect a city head for two months. The council is to elect a new mayor August 19, but if that does not happen there's a fair chance the parliament will call extraordinary elections.

Earlier GKR deputee Dainis Turlais was voted out after spending just 21 days as Rīga mayor. Turlais took up the post when suspended Nils Ušakovs (Harmony) was elected to the European Parliament.

Turlais' election coincided with internecine warfare within the Harmony political party that is in alliance with GKR which has resulted in the collapse of the formerly controlling coalition. 

But even the opposition seems fragmented enough at the 60-seat council: two members of the New Conservative Party were expelled after failing to back the party line in the vote to sack Turlais. 

Meanwhile several corruption scandals involving council-owned entities continue to unfold.

Seen a mistake?

Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor

Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor

Related articles

More

Most important