Ilmārs Millers, spokesman of the Riga Center Development Society, said that the organization has been saying for a year that private car movements in parks have to be banned.
“We would describe the process as ambiguous, as we raised this issue to all members of the existing coalition a year ago. At the time, as Freeport was mentioned, it was quickly silent on the part of the Members. Consequently, it seems to us that there was a situation where someone was superior to everyone else, and those decisions did not come easily. Hopefully the ice will be broken now and those decisions will come easier,” Millers said.
The new head of the Housing and Environment Committee of the Riga City Council, Selīna Vancāne (For!/Progressives), said that the department had previously asked the Free Port Authority not to leave cars in the park, but a compromise could not be reached, so the parking areas had to be removed.
“These weren't community parking spaces, they weren't for residents. They had been used in some way, using loopholes in the law. They were not legally binding. We will certainly try to investigate further options where there may be some agreements in the past or something non-transparent, so that we can solve problems elsewhere,” Vancāne said.
The Freeport Authority has not yet commented on the decision.
