RIGA, June 1 (LETA) - Local elections on Madona Region might be held this week after all, according to a decision taken today by the Saeima Administrative Territorial Reform Committee. 

Previously, the Central Election Commission decided to suspend the elections in Madona Region because the Saeima was scheduled to decide on merging Varaklani Region with Madona. 

On Tuesday, however, the Saeima Administrative Territorial Reform Committee decided to leave Varaklani was a separate region. The arrangement has yet to be approved by the Saeima. Since there are no longer plans to change the territory Madona Region, there is no longer a reason to put off the elections. 

As reported, President Egils Levits had a meeting with representatives of Saeima groups today, where an agreement was reached that Varaklani Region would remain an independent region for the time being. That, however, is just a temporary solution.

It is possible that Varaklani Region Council elections could be held in the region to elect the council for a period of one year, during which a correct legal solution would be prepared on merging Varaklani Region with Rezekne Region.

Saeima did not take the final decision on the Varaklani region's future during a sitting on May 31 and sent the respective draft amendments to the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas back to the Administrative Territorial Reform Committee.

Thus, lawmakers also did not manage to go through a bill on moving local elections in the regions of Madona and Rezekne to September 11. After the Constitutional Court ruled the plan to merge the Varaklani region with the Rezekne region unconstitutional, the Central Election Commission has already suspended the election procedure in the Rezekne and Madona regions.