Local government body, Saeima, set to vote on municipal merger proposals in the coming week.

On May 16, the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, will consider amendments that propose the merger of Varakl̄āni municipality with Madona municipality. If approved, this merger will take place, resolving an issue that remained unresolved after the administrative-territorial reform.

The government has submitted these amendments to the Law on Administrative Territories and Settlements, in response to the decision of the Constitutional Court. The court found that the previous merger of Varakl̄āni with Rēzekne municipality did not conform to the Constitution.

The proposed merger is supported by the Saeima State Administration and Local Government Committee deputies, who believe it will bring clarity about the boundaries of counties and common commitments a year before local government elections, as required.

Varakl̄āni municipality and Madona municipality have a history of cooperation before the administrative-territorial reform, which influenced the support for merging the two municipalities. In polls conducted in Varakl̄āni municipality, a significant majority of the population supported merging with Madona municipality.

The merger of Varakl̄āni with Madona municipality aims to address the issue that remained unresolved after the administrative-territorial reform, namely the merger of Varakl̄āni with a neighboring municipality. It is worth noting that Varakl̄āni municipality is the only one whose merger with a neighboring municipality remains unresolved after the reform.

At present, there are no search results available that provide information on how the Saeima will vote on May 16 regarding the merger of the Varakļāni and Madona municipalities. The outcome of this vote will determine the future of these two municipalities and the potential benefits of their merger.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.