Tavars reverses orders on Bauska and Preili territorial plans

Latvia’s Minister for Local Government Edgars Tavars has revoked his predecessor Raimonds Čudars’ orders suspending parts of the territorial plans of Bauska and Preili municipalities, LSM reported. The change in political leadership has exposed differing views on territorial planning principles.

The municipalities welcomed the decision, saying their concerns had finally been heard. The Constitutional Court will still rule on whether the orders issued by the former minister were lawful.

Earlier this year, Čudars, who represented New Unity, suspended parts of the two municipalities’ territorial plans in separate orders. He argued that the municipalities had unlawfully imposed disproportionate restrictions on renewable energy development, including wind power plants and solar parks.

Both municipalities disagreed and appealed to the Constitutional Court.

Tavars said the circumstances had changed after the Cabinet approved new regulations, providing grounds to revoke the orders. He said the decision was the result of several months of work and was not influenced by the proximity of elections.

Čudars, however, said revoking the orders threatened regional growth. In his view, municipalities would now find it easier to impose restrictions without justification, potentially causing Latvia to fall behind in renewable energy production.

Čudars also said abandoning his orders could undermine the rule of law and raise concerns about respect for the Constitutional Court’s authority, as the court has not yet considered the case.

Preili Municipal Council Chairman Aldis Adamovičs, representing the Latgale Party, New Unity and the Liberal Alliance, welcomed the revocation.