Riga, Dec 10 (LETA) - The Cabinet of Ministers will decide on the amendment of the borders of Garkalne and Adazi territories, providing for the separation of a part of Garkalne territory and adding it to the administrative territory of Adazi, only after the 2025 municipal elections, according to the government's response to the Saeima public administration and local government committee on the fulfilment of its task.

At a meeting of the Saeima committee, MPs decided to instruct the government to decide immediately on amending the borders of the municipalities of Adazi and Ropazi, so that in next year's local elections people can stand for election and vote in accordance with the new municipal territories. It is clear from the government's reply that the task will not be carried out.

The government stated in its reply that changes in the socio-economic situation of municipalities and administrative regions and scenarios for the cooperation and development of the Riga metropolitan area should be assessed and a report submitted to the Saeima by May 1, 2026. Work on the cooperation and development scenarios for the Riga metropolitan area is "already underway" in the work group on the development of the Riga metropolitan area, established by order of Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Inga Berzins (New Unity).

The assessment of the socio-economic situation of municipalities is planned to start in 2025, in cooperation with other municipalities and the Latvian Association of Local Governments, according to the government's reply to the Saeima committee.

In June this year, the Saeima amended the Law on Administrative Territories and Settlements and instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare and approve amendments to the borders of Garkalne and Adazi territory by October 29, providing for the separation of part of Garkalne territory and adding it to the administrative territory of Adazi. After a long analysis of the situation, in autumn the government proposed to decide on "cosmetic corrections" to the border between Adazi and Ropazi municipalities, and later to refrain from any changes at all, citing the proximity of the municipal elections.

Previously, the municipalities of Ropazi and Adazi failed to agree on the division of Garkalne between the two municipalities, but the central government and the Saeima did not take any leadership on this issue.