Riga, Jan 17 (LETA) - The National Alliance has submitted a request to the Saeima to Smart Administration and Regional Development MInister Raimonds Cudars (New Unity), asking for an explanation for the suspension of the spatial plans of Bauska and Preili municipalities, National Alliance's spokesperson Laima Melkina informed LETA.

The National Alliance believes that the minister's orders are in clear contradiction with the basic principles of democracy and the right of citizens, enshrined in the Constitution, to decide on issues that directly affect their living environment. Cudars has not taken into account the clearly expressed will of local residents.

The National Alliance stressed that spatial planning is the exclusive competence of local authorities, and the interference of the public authorities in this process, ignoring the local community, undermines the autonomy of local authorities and significantly reduces the trust of the population in the public administration.

According to National Alliance politicians, the decisions to suspend spatial plans were taken without proper dialogue with local authorities.

As reported, Cudars has partially suspended the spatial plans of Bauska and Preili municipalities due to what he considers illegal restrictions on the production of renewable energy resources, the Public Relations Department of the Smart Administration and Regional Development Ministry informed LETA.

The minister has identified significant legal and substantive shortcomings, and therefore issued orders to suspend the implementation of the Bauska municipality spatial plan and the binding regulations of the Preili municipality spatial plan in parts that, without sufficient data, research and legal justification, set disproportionate restrictions on the development of renewable energy resources (RES), commercial activities and the exercise of private rights.

"Spatial plans must be data-driven, proportionate and legally justified. Local authorities have a wide discretion in spatial planning, but should not impose vague, unjustified or excessive restrictions that significantly restrict the property rights of individuals and hinder the achievement of the overall national objectives," says Cudars.

The ministry's assessment of the spatial plans of the two municipalities concluded that the restrictions they impose are incompatible with the RES-oriented economic specialization of the municipalities' sustainable development strategies.

In view of the national policy to promote the development of RES production, the plans contain solutions that, in general, significantly limit the development of RES, contradicting the national objectives of strengthening energy independence and the transition to renewable resources.

In a number of cases, the rules are formulated in a legally vague manner, with subjective criteria to be interpreted, which makes it difficult for individuals to foresee the legal consequences and hampers the implementation of development plans.

As reported that EWE Neue Energien 2 has submitted to the State Environmental Service (VVD) a plan for the construction of 17 wind power plants (WPP) in the territories of Bauska and Jelgava municipalities, and the VVD has started the environmental impact assessment procedure.

The municipality provided an official response in October last year, stating that most of the planned wind park area is located on agricultural land of national importance, where such construction is not allowed. The municipality believes that the project does not comply with the existing spatial plan and that the zoning should not be changed.

The Latvian subsidiaries of the Danish wind energy group Eurowind Energy plan to build two wind farms in Dienvidkurzeme region, as well as in the Bauska and Jelgava municipalities, according to information on the website of the already dissolved Energy and Environment Agency (EVA).

In the Preili municipality, Latvenergo is planning to build a wind farm in Riebini.