Riga councilmen stress that construction of "Sun Stone" is legal
Riga City Council^apostrofs;s City Development Committee deputies today repeatedly emphasized that construction of the "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone) high-rise business complex in Riga^apostrofs;s Kipsala is legal and all norms have been followed.
Riga City Council's City Development Committee deputies today repeatedly emphasized that construction of the "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone) high-rise business complex in Riga's Kipsala is legal and all norms have been followed.
In a discussion with the representatives from the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs and the chief of the State Construction Inspection, Leonids Jekabsons, the councilmen clarified that problems with the implementation of the "Sun Stone" project had occurred because of a point in the city development plan for 1995-2005.
The point stipulates that changes are permitted in previously-approved territorial planning, and on the basis of that, the location of the building and its height were changed.
Riga City Council's City Development Committee will demand the Legal Department evaluate justification for the point set by the development plan and its compliance with the current situation.
Jekabsons informed that the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs is authorized to revoke the point if it does not meet Latvian legislation, and after that the State Construction Inspection could decide on halting construction of the complex.
Currently, construction of the complex is proceeding according to the legislation, said Jekabsons.
The councilmen reprimanded the ministry for its failure to note which specific norms have been violated by the Riga City Council, but Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ivars Gaters "exerts political pressure on the municipality" in his letters to the council.
In commenting on Gaters' letter to Riga City Council Chairman Gundars Bojars, Riga City Council Deputy Chairman Sergejs Dolgopolovs declared that the letter contained threats and blackmail but did not contain information on how to improve the situation with "Sun Stone".
Gaters was invited to today's meeting but the ministry's state secretary Ilze Kukute came instead. State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection, Juris Dambis, also was not present at the meeting.
Martins Kalaus LETA
Copyright © LETA
In a discussion with the representatives from the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs and the chief of the State Construction Inspection, Leonids Jekabsons, the councilmen clarified that problems with the implementation of the "Sun Stone" project had occurred because of a point in the city development plan for 1995-2005.
The point stipulates that changes are permitted in previously-approved territorial planning, and on the basis of that, the location of the building and its height were changed.
Riga City Council's City Development Committee will demand the Legal Department evaluate justification for the point set by the development plan and its compliance with the current situation.
Jekabsons informed that the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs is authorized to revoke the point if it does not meet Latvian legislation, and after that the State Construction Inspection could decide on halting construction of the complex.
Currently, construction of the complex is proceeding according to the legislation, said Jekabsons.
The councilmen reprimanded the ministry for its failure to note which specific norms have been violated by the Riga City Council, but Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ivars Gaters "exerts political pressure on the municipality" in his letters to the council.
In commenting on Gaters' letter to Riga City Council Chairman Gundars Bojars, Riga City Council Deputy Chairman Sergejs Dolgopolovs declared that the letter contained threats and blackmail but did not contain information on how to improve the situation with "Sun Stone".
Gaters was invited to today's meeting but the ministry's state secretary Ilze Kukute came instead. State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection, Juris Dambis, also was not present at the meeting.
Martins Kalaus LETA
Copyright © LETA
