Riga promised Europe to increase parking fees in the center - mayor 0 15

The mayor indicated that one of Riga's promises to Europe is the introduction of a low-emission zone.

"I want to make it clear that no plans for the low-emission zone have been suspended," the mayor emphasized.

In turn, the existing contract with consultants has not been extended so that the allocated funds can be used more wisely in the future, the politician explained.

The mayor added that he is currently in Brussels, where he is participating in negotiations with commissioners and deputies to secure larger funding for Riga in the next European Union budget.

Here’s the paradox. Europe provides the money, but it is still our drivers who pay.

As reported, the chairman of the Riga City Council's Urban Development Committee, Edgars Bergholcs, has suspended the advancement of the low-emission zone project, stating that the introduction of a fee for entering the central part of the city is the basis for creating this zone.

According to the Riga City Council's external communication department, the committee head promises to conduct an additional assessment of the low-emission zone project, as he believes that the proposed scenarios are mainly aimed at increasing the city budget rather than reducing the number of cars in the city and improving air quality.

The alternative scenarios for establishing a low-emission zone in Riga, developed by the Riga City Council's Urban Development Department and Ernst & Young Baltic, would effectively mean the introduction of an entry fee rather than targeted solutions for improving air quality, Bergholcs explains.

"It is obvious that sufficiently accurate calculations have not been made. I believe this is yet another municipal project in which funds may have been wasted during its implementation," the deputy stated.