Riga views with concern the possibility that some power could be devolved to the regions. The reform is almost ready to be implemented, yet there is still no clarity on what the map of Latvia will look like.

Speaking about the parishes included in Rūjiena municipality, the local leader highlights the lack of state support for border territories, which are distinctly sparsely populated. "From Riga, it seems like there is nothing here - that everything has come to a standstill, but that is not the case. Compared to other places, Rūjiena is bustling; naturally, its small-town features are what they are. At one time, a railway ran through Rūjiena - now that is all over."