Ādaži council elects a third deputy chairman despite opposition objections
The Ādaži municipal council has elected Imants Krastiņš as its third deputy chairman at an extraordinary meeting. The opposition Latvian Association of Regions opposed creating the post.
The council of Ādaži municipality in Latvia elected Imants Krastiņš as its third deputy chairman at an extraordinary meeting. Nine councillors voted in favour and five against. The new post has been contested: the council opposition resisted it, and the dispute has also centred on municipal spending.
Krastiņš's responsibilities
Krastiņš will serve as deputy to the council chairman, who is the mayor, on governance matters. His remit covers e-governance, information and communication technology, and oversight and coordination of resident participation processes. At the meeting he said one of his priorities would be to keep spending on administration as low as possible, so that funds could go to kindergartens and other needs.
Opposition objections
The Latvian Association of Regions (LRA), currently in opposition on the council, actively opposed the election. Councillor Sniedze Brakovska (LRA) stressed that she is against creating the third deputy post at all. Opposition members asked Krastiņš a number of questions about his sources of income and professional activity, entries in his public official's declaration, and his absence from in-person council meetings.
The LRA also pointed out that at a public consultation held by the municipality, 78 participants objected to the plan and eight supported it. An initiative by Brakovska on the ManaBalss.lv platform against the new post was signed by 480 residents.
Dispute over costs
Brakovska had earlier claimed that, contrary to what the council leadership says, the new post will increase municipal spending by just under 17,000 euros a year. Setting up the post is estimated to cost about 62,000 euros, while the planned savings are said to be around 45,000 euros.
Until now the council chairman had two deputies. Jānis Vaivads (LZP) handles municipal functions, and Ģirts Dubkēvičs (P) handles development matters.
