There are already municipalities where councillors have no time for their work, but certainly have time for writing letters to repressive institutions. This situation makes people unwilling to take risks, and many matters are being dragged out. (From a conversation with Dainis Vingris in December 2019*)

(...) Riga City Council is not the only one under increased surveillance by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM). Cēsis municipality, where the 'Latvijas attīstībai' party represented by Minister Artūrs Toms Plešs is in opposition, is also under the ministry's magnifying glass. This is unofficially cited as one of the reasons why the ministry is scrutinising this local authority's decisions particularly closely.

At the beginning of the week, the local government received word from VARAM that the ministry might also withhold approval for the Cēsis municipality spatial plan amendments, which set strict restrictions on organising gambling and permit this business only in hotels. Since the elections, the Cēsis local government has had to invest resources to respond to letters from the ministry and explain its decisions.

(...) VARAM Deputy State Secretary I. Oša admitted to 'Latvijas Avīze' that she had participated in a discussion about such a possibility, but she has not yet seen either a concept or a draft law. 'We are not blocking it, but we have our considerations. The state transfers property to a municipality if it is necessary for the performance of the municipality's autonomous functions, such as education or culture. If a municipality takes over a property to engage in commercial activity, then one must ask what justifies such a decision,' said I. Oša.