RIGA, Sept 28 (LETA) - It is too early to speak about the benefits and loss from the administrative territorial reform, said Gints Kaminskis (Greens/Farmers), the chairman of the Latvian Association of Local Governments (LPS) and Dobele loca council lawmakers.

He said that the work in new local and regional councils is not as smooth as expected. "The process has just started. There are local governments that have been more successful, and other who still have to adopt new regulations," he said.

He said that a couple of months is not sufficient period of time for assessment. 

As reported, Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Arturs Toms Pless (For Development) said in an interview with TV3 channel Tuesday that Latvia's administrative territorial reform, which was completed this past summer, is already benefitting municipalities and proving that "together we can do more".

In Pless' words, local governments have managed to level out their social services, which in smaller municipalities used to be harder to access.

Asked about plans for municipalities without development centers, the minister agreed with the Constitutional Court's position that the existence of a development center is one of the most important preconditions for a successful municipality.

Pless noted that already during the reform the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry proposed merging state cities with adjacent municipalities, but the idea did not gain political support. The ministry intends to propose the idea again ahead of next elections.