3.2 Regional administration

State administration consists of three administrative levels. Ministries and administrative bodies (state agencies, services, boards, centres, offices, bureaus and administrations) subordinated and controlled by them act on the central government level.

Territorial administrative bodies of the several ministries act on the state regional administrative level, including: State Environment Service's territorial departments - regional environment boards; State Construction Inspection's building boards; of State Land Service's regional departments; and Rural Support Service's regional agriculture administrations.

There are 33 territorial units or 26 district or county municipalities and 7 republic city municipalities (carrying out also the functions of local self-government) on the state regional administrative level. District municipalities or self-governments with the mediation of local government's delegate representation - council - and its subordinated institutions ensure the implementation of functions delegated by local self-governments and determined by law, observing interests of state and inhabitants of the respective district's administrative territory. The republic cities carry out functions of local self-government and district municipality. The expediency of the district municipalities is discussed since 1990 though the reform is constantly postponed. With the Law "On Self-Governments" of 1994 several functions of municipality were committed to the care of local self-governments. Since 1996 district municipalities do not have their own tax base and since 1997 direct elections were abolish. 33 administrative units are too small for the acquisition of European Union funds. Sectoral ministries have developed different regional sectoral administration systems, very often these sectoral administrative units embrace more than one district municipality (Vanags&Vilka 2005).

By the influence of the accession process European Union with the aim to increase the size and the number of inhabitants of regional territorial division the larger territories were developed in Latvia. Firstly in 1999 there were 5 statistic regions established on NUTS 3 level for needs of statistics.

Secondly, in the period of 2002-2003 initially by voluntarily decisions of local municipalities later in accordance with the Regional Development Law of 2002 and the Cabinet of Ministers' regulations no. 133 (25.03.2003) 5 planning regions were established for the development planning purpose. Planning regions' boundaries and comprising administrative units differs from the statistic regions. If Riga statistic region includes Riga and Jurmala cities and Riga district then taking into the account opinion of the municipalities Riga planning region additionally contains districts of Limbazi, Ogre and Tukums. Planning regions are secondary or derived public persons which act on the regional administrative level. The decision making body is planning region's development council. It is elected by the general meeting of all local self-governments' chairman in the planning region from the deputies of the respective municipalities. Its decisions are adopted if more than one half of the participants of the general meeting have voted for it and the voters represent at least one half of the inhabitants of the respective planning region. The Chairman of the Planning Region Development Council is elected from the elected members of the council.

 

Figure I.3.1: Constitutional structure and levels of administration

The planning region's functions are to ensure development planning of the region, coordination, cooperation of the municipalities and other public institutions, manage and control the preparation and implementation of development programmes and spatial plans; evaluate correspondence of the national plan, national development plan and sectoral development programmes with the planning region's documents; evaluate project applications of the local authorities and private persons for the regional development state support and give resolutions on them. Planning region development council confirms planning region's statutes and budget. It has rights to develop, reorganize and liquidate planning region's institutions and to delegate its functions. Chairman of the planning region development councils or their representatives have rights to take part in the work of the National Regional Development Council. Planning region development council meetings are open and representatives of state administration institutions, nongovernmental organizations, entrepreneurs and other planning regions' municipalities can participate in the meeting.

To ensure coordination and cooperation with the national level institutions and planning regions in the implementation process of the regional development support activities. Planning Region's Cooperation Commission is developed in every planning region. The Chairman of the Planning Region's Development Council chairs the meetings of the mentioned above commission. Commission's meetings are open and representatives of the planning region development council and cooperation coordinators of ministries participate in them in this way ensuring information exchange between the planning region and the respective ministry.

Relevant legislative documents and institutions

Law "On Self-Governments" (adopted 19.05.1994), link to text in English: www.ttc.lv/index.php?&id=10&tid=59&l=LV&seid=down&itid=13757

Regional Development Law (adopted 21.03.2002), link to text in English: www.ttc.lv/index.php?&id=10&tid=59&l=LV&seid=down&itid=13795

State Administration Structure Law (adopted 06.06.2002), link to text in English:  www.ttc.lv/index.php?&id=10&tid=59&l=LV&seid=down&itid=13801

Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government: www.raplm.gov.lv

Kurzeme Region Development Agency: www.kurzeme.lv

Latgale Region Development Agency:  http://www.latgale.lv/en/lraa

Riga Region Development Agency: www.rigaregion.lv

Vidzeme Region Development Agency: www.vidzemes-regions.lv

Zemgale Region Development Agency: www.zemgale.jrp.lv