Riga, Jan 24 (LETA) - Ahead of the municipal elections, the National Alliance (NA) party promises to make the city Latvian, give it an economic boost and make 1,000 emigrant families return to the capital, the party said while presenting its pre-election program and team for the Riga elections.

Activist Liana Langa said that her main task will be to make Riga Latvia, to ensure that the Russian language no longer dominates the city's outdoor and public spaces.

Girts Lapins, head of the Riga branch of the National Alliance, informed about the economic breakthrough plan. He pointed out that Riga had lost the competition to Vilnius and Tallinn, so a plan had been drawn up to enable the capital to regain its competitiveness. The plan consists of six steps - working with investors, attracting talent, support programs and creating industrial zones. The plan also includes housing funds to help people get a place to live, the development of major infrastructure and cutting red tape.

Former journalist Ansis Pupols, for his part, said his main task was to ensure that families who have emigrated from Latvia return home. He believes that it is possible to get at least 1,000 emigrant families to return to Riga.

Attracting tourists is also important. Riga needs a "magnet" to attract tourists.

"We have developed a campaign program for Riga, which is accurately described by the slogan 'Proven values. New Energy", which combines the party's unwavering national policy with its energy and economic vision as a new leader, confirmed by the work already started and completed in the capital," said Edvards Ratnieks, Riga Vice Mayor and number one on the National Alliance's ticket.

The economic development program is based on the specialization of Riga as a world-renowned center of new technologies and innovation, which would be achieved within ten years through targeted efforts. This would open up opportunities for new and large-scale inflows of foreign investment to Riga, Ratnieks explained.

As reported, the top of the electoral ticket of the National Alliance for the Riga City Council will include activist Liana Langa, head of the National Alliance's Riga branch Girts Lapins, former journalist Ansis Pupols and several current Riga City Council deputies, said the number one of the ticket, Riga Vice Mayor Edvards Ratnieks, today when presenting the team for the Riga elections.

Firther on the list are Langa, Lapins, Pupols, followed by several members of the current Riga City Council - Dainis Locis, Einars Cilinskis, Ieva Holma, Kaspars Spunde and Valters Bergs.

The ticker includes businessmen, academics, and specialists in various fields.

The National Alliance stresses that the Riga program will include national issues and economic development in equal proportions.

"We want to see a prosperous Riga, with a growing population and a standard of living above the average of European countries," Ratnieks said.