RIGA, Feb 13 (LETA) - The Rezekne City Council on Friday rejected the Culture Ministry's proposal for the state to participate in the management of the Latgale concert hall Gors in cooperation with the local government.

The city council did not support the Culture Ministry's proposal for the state to acquire a controlling 75 percent stake in the concert hall's operator Austrumlatvijas Koncertzale (East Latvia Concert Hall). The city council also rejected the Culture Ministry's proposal to hand over the property at 4 Pils Street in Rezekne to the state.

The Rezekne City Council called on the Culture Ministry to ensure the state's involvement in the concert hall's management by concluding a delegation agreement as the cooperation model that would ensure sustainable and balanced involvement in attaining cultural policy goals.

The city council also decided to call on other municipalities in the Latgale region to consider involvement in promoting access to professional art, strengthening the cultural environment, and regional identity by concluding a delegation agreement as the cooperation model.

The Culture Ministry's proposal was supported only by Rezekne's opposition councilors. Councilwoman Inara Groce (Latvian Green Party/Latvian Association of Regions/New Conservative Party) argued that the state's involvement in Gors' management would mean a predictable repertoire.

Meanwhile, coalition councilors, including suspended mayor Aleksandrs Bartasevics (Together for Latvia/Latvia First), repeatedly stressed that the absence of the Culture Ministry's representative from the meeting meant an uninterested attitude to Rezekne. "We were ready to talk today," said councilor Karina Bartkevica (Together for Latvia/Latvia First).

Bartasevics also claimed that "everything that is going on in relation to Rezekne is the funeral of democracy", which is why the coalition councilors attended the council meeting dressed in black.

As reported, Rezekne City Council earlier said it was considering changes to Latgale embassy Gors management system. The local government emphasizes that it provides Gors with a subsidy from the Rezekne budget every year, expecting in return high quality and the concert hall's work aimed at increasing its revenues so that the subsidy can be reduced. A recent audit of the concert hall's functions, however, identified several problems in its operations.

In light of audit results and recommendations, the municipality, in cooperation with Rezekne Culture and Tourism Center, has begun working on possible changes "that would ensure sustainability of the institution and reduce its dependence on the municipality's subsidy".

One of the main tasks is to identify a management system that will allow Gors to become more efficient, transparent, and significantly increase revenues from its operations.

In January, Diana Zirnina was dismissed as the long-serving manager of Gors on the grounds of loss of trust.