Varakļāni Municipality Explained

Varakļāni Municipality
Native Name:Varakļānu novads
Native Name Lang:lv
Settlement Type:Municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Established Title:Formed
Established Date:2009
Seat Type:Centre
Seat:Varakļāni
Leader Title:Council Chair
Leader Name:Māris Justs
Leader Party:LA
Population Density Km2:auto
Postal Code Type:Postal code

Varakļāni Municipality (Latvian: Varakļānu novads) is a municipality in Latgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Varakļāni town, Murmastiene Parish and Varakļāni Parish of the former Madona District. The administrative centre is Varakļāni.

Parts of Teiči Nature Reserve are located in the Municipality. The population in 2020 was 2,990.[1]

Within the 2021 Latvian administrative reform it was initially planned to merge Varakļāni Municipality into Rēzekne Municipality. After protests from locals, parts of whom wanted to either preserve the status quo or preferred joining Madona Municipality, the municipal council submitted a case to the Constitutional Court of Latvia in June 2020. On 28 May 2021 the court declared the planned merge is unconstitutional.[2] However, on May 31 the Saeima voted to proceed with the merge, which prompted the involvement of the President of Latvia Egils Levits to avoid triggering a constitutional crisis.[3] Ultimately, a decision was made to postpone the decision on the future of the Varakļāni and Rēzekne municipalities until 2025.[4] Due to this, the 2021 Latvian local elections for the new municipalities were also held in Varakļāni.[5] [6]

See also

References

56.6°N 71°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ISG020. Population number and its change by statistical region, city, town, 21 development centres and counties . Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. 2020-01-01. 2021-02-12.
  2. Auers. Dainis. June 2021. CONTINUITY IN CHANGE? Latvia's Local Governments after Regional Reform and Local Government Elections. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Baltikum - Perspective. 978-9934-8853-5-8.
  3. Web site: 2021-06-01. President of Latvia expects Varakļāni region status issue to be resolved according to Satversme Valsts prezidenta kanceleja. 2022-02-02. www.president.lv. en.
  4. Web site: 2021-09-12. Deputies elected in Varaklani: People's election was motivated by the future of the local area after the regional reform. 2022-02-02. Baltics News. en-US.
  5. Web site: Šteinfelde. Ilze. 2021-09-13. The election results confirm that combining Varakļāni and Rēzekne municipalities would be a mistake. 2022-02-02. Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze. en.
  6. Web site: 2021-07-01. Administrative territorial reform comes to force in Latvia. 2022-02-02. Baltic News Network - News from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. en-US.