The Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry announced that after consulting with 114 municipalities it has drafted a conceptual report on the administrative territorial distribution of municipalities as part of the planned municipal reform.
eng.lsm.lv reported previously that the original plan was for Latvia to have 35 municipalities, but on August 12 it was revealed that the ministry had decided to add another one to the map.
The ministry came to the decision after analysing population dynamics and mobility patterns, as well as receiving data-based alternative proposals.
Consequently, the new administrative territorial model introduced in the conceptual report proposes to reduce the number of municipalities from 119 to 36.
The new municipality will be situated in Pierīga and have Ulbroka as its administrative center. Ulbroka municipality will absorb the former Gārkalne, Ropaži and Stopiņi municipalities. The town of Vangaži will be separated from Inčukalns municipality and merged with the Ulbroka municipality. The changes will also affect Salaspils municipality, which will remain within the previously proposed borders, and Ādaži municipality, which will forgo Gārkalne.
The document has been sent to the Ministries of Finance and Justice, the Cross-Sectoral Coordination Center and the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments for approval.
The ministry expects to put the conceptual report before the Cabinet of Ministers in September.
