It is strange how our city council is managed. The opposition in the capital's municipality, including your author, collected signatures for an extraordinary meeting to express no confidence in the leadership of Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks.
However, the meeting that started an hour earlier put the topic of the RNP in last place! The mayor, Viesturs Kleinbergs ("Progressives"), even conducted a vote for democracy – 24 voted "for" to consider it first. But 30 voted "against"...
Approval of Management
The first question on the main agenda was the approval of Anna Zaula as the director of the Riga Jaunciems School. She was presented by the "Progressive" Agnese Logina. The candidate herself was not allowed to answer questions – which angered the member of the "Sovereign Power/New Latvians" faction, Rudolf Bremanis, who was the only one to vote "against" the director. By the way, as reported by the acting head of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports of the Riga City Council, Ivars Balamovskis, significant funds were invested in the school, and a major renovation was carried out. The next candidate was Karlis Grinbergs, who was presented as the head of the Riga Energy Agency. The deputies inquired about the candidate's opinion on the so-called "green course," which could cost Riga residents additional, unwanted expenses.
Mr. Grinbergs replied that the Agency's functions primarily include analytics and information. He also spoke about the insulation of houses – in his view, new construction standards and technologies allow for ventilation, so the projects funded through the ALTUM institute will henceforth be of high quality.
– The President of the United States stated that global warming does not exist, – appealed to authorities Deputy Bremanis.
– We, as a democratic society, rely on the opinion of scientists, – diplomatically countered Mr. Grinbergs. The overwhelming majority of council members voted for him.
Corruption to the Pillory!
Then the Riga City Council began its own Anti-Corruption Commission, which also needs to address "good governance." Inese Voika ("New Unity") promised that all factions would be represented in the working body, and its activities would be transparent. It is only necessary to approve the regulations – the foundational document.
- The chairman of the commission, his deputy, and members do not receive a salary for their work, – proudly noted I. Voika. And there will be no formalism!
"Riga is a large municipality, whose budget is almost 2 billion. We need to ensure that the system works and respond to signals," said the deputy. In general – it is time to remember the saying "Riga will never be ready."
For his part, Deputy Denis Klyukin, reflecting on the principles of "good governance," said that Microsoft Teams is used too often during council meetings, where deputies may not even confirm their identity, hiding behind initials.
To this, Mayor Kleinbergs asked Deputy Klyukin himself – are you not passing your computer to third parties?!
– How do you practically plan to ensure this? Will you walk around the city and ask Riga residents how we are doing? – ironically inquired the opposition deputy.
Deputy Ringolds Balodis asked what lobbying means in the understanding of I. Voika? To this, she recommended referring to the Law on the Openness of Interest Representation, which was adopted by the XIII Saeima at the very end of its term and approved by President Egils Levits.
– This commission is competing with the Ethics Commission, – continued to appeal R. Balodis. – How do you plan to work at all?
And R. Bremanis was interested in what would happen if, for example, Alexey Roslikov were nominated to the commission. In the sense that a criminal case has been opened against the faction leader on serious charges...
Deputy Vladislav Bartashevich proposed that all businessmen who won public procurement procedures should be required to waive the principle of commercial secrecy, so that everything is transparent! To this, Inese Voika corrected her young colleague – saying that we are only talking about the document, the regulations... "We do not substitute law enforcement agencies."
– Not everything that is bad is corruption. Corruption is the illegal use of power for personal gain, – proclaimed Ms. Voika.
It is worth noting that the vote on the anti-corruption commission divided the opposition forces as well. Veteran of Latvian politics Yakov Pliner stated that he supports the creation of the new council body. Deputy Lyubov Shvetsova, who has held leadership positions in law enforcement agencies of the State Revenue Service for a long time, promised to vote "against."
“Legitimate Theft”
In such a harsh formula, Ringolds Balodis described the situation with "limited access" to procurement information in the Riga City Council.
– Let’s stop legally robbing the municipality!, – called the corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences and deputy. Deputy Eriks Stendzenieks recalled how he, as a businessman, was forced to pay a multi-thousand bribe – but he went to the Security Police, where the late Yuta Strike served until the early 2000s, and the villains were "brought to justice" and received real sentences.
– Without any commission!, – noted the famous advertiser, adding that such an organ is not needed in Riga at all. "Stakis (former mayor of Riga) left because he could not work with the corrupt from 'New Unity,' and now you are together again," accused E. Stendzenieks of those present.
Lauma Paeglkalna from "New Unity" expressed that if we apply the logic of previous speakers, then "the Criminal Code is not needed either."
Rudolfs Bremanis suggested rereading the classics – the same Garlibs Merkel wrote more than 200 years ago in the pamphlet "Free Latvians and Estonians" how the de jure freed serfs complained about the arbitrariness of landlords, while the same gentlemen sat in court with cigars and cognac! "The coalition formally creates these commissions, they have an advisory nature, they do not decide anything," complained the deputy.
Linda Ozola ("New Unity") revealed the insidious plans of the opposition – these deputies are engaged in "sabotage." – The work of the opposition is to defame us through the capital or the state, – complained L. Ozola. "Trivialization and deconstruction," – characterized the activities of her colleagues the politician and philologist. In other words: "It casts a shadow."
Well, the anti-corruption policy, in her opinion, should be based on "three pillars": internal control (Riga will be the first municipality in Latvia to introduce the ISO standard); human resources management; open data (a great example is Georiga).
– We will try to ensure that everything does not return to the old tracks that many of you built, – promised Ms. Ozola, who has been sitting in the Riga City Council for several years now.
Interesting data from the previous council term was provided by V. Stepanenko: the current mayor Kleinbergs missed the last of 9 meetings, which lasted from half an hour to one and a half. In general, only 2 deputies were physically present at the last meeting – everyone lost interest in the struggle...
The opposition also pointed out that our anti-corruption norms hinder business – when Amazon came to the country, the giant with a trillion turnover was required to provide a list of owners in the bank! The result – 33 "for," 20 "against," 1 "abstained."
