Riga, Oct 14 (LETA) - The Latvian Association of Large Cities is concerned about the idea to assign the municipal police to control road traffic.

Earlier, the responsible Saeima national economy, rural, environmental and regional policy committee decided to support the proposal submitted by MPs Janis Patmalnieks (New Unity) and Gatis Liepins (New Unity), which stipulates that the state or municipal police, in accordance with the competence established in the regulatory enactments, shall ensure order on roads, regulate the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, conduct traffic surveillance, control the condition of roads, as well as the technical condition of traffic organization equipment and vehicles.

In its letter, the Latvian Association of Large Cities expresses its concern about the word "ensures" in the norm.

The association noted that such a wording of the legal provision could create a precedent in the future - if the national police is for some reason unable to provide this function, this obligation would fall on the shoulders of the municipalities.

"Given the tight budget situation of municipalities, such a new function, if made mandatory rather than optional, is unlikely to be feasible," the association stressed.