Riga, June 11 (LETA) - The political forces elected to the Jelgava City Council have started negotiations on leaving long-time mayor Andris Ravins (Greens/Farmers) in the opposition, representatives of the political parties told LETA.

The only new lawmaker elected from the New Conservative Party, Martins Stals, said that voters have shown they want change, which is why the city's ruling force has so far not been invited to talks on forming a coalition.

"It looks like [Andrejs] Pagors (Sovereign Power/New Latvians) is not ready to work in a coalition and is preparing to run in the parliamentary elections, so he needs the role of a victim that the Latvian parties are not taking the Russian parties into the coalition," Stals commented.

He admitted that a new coalition is being formed in the council, which the National Alliance plans to join.

Stals did not comment on who the new mayor might be, but he said it would come from the lists that have won two seats in the city council - the National Alliance, Movement For or the New Unity. However, the Latvian Association of Regions is also taking part in the coalition talks with one mandate.

"A window of opportunity has opened in Jelgava to change the current government," commented Uldis Dumins (For).

He also made no secret of the fact that negotiations are ongoing, including on a new leadership of the city council. "I think so," Dumins said when asked whether the city might have a new mayor.

Dumins also did not name specific people who could be nominated for the mayor's post, as competences, voters' support and representation of a political force in the council are important.

Robert Slegelmilhs, a National Alliance's lawmaker was more evasive about a possible new coalition, saying he was ready to work with both the "old" and the "new" authorities. It is important for the National Alliance to cooperate with the Latvian parties.

"The negotiation process is still ongoing", the councilor commented.

A coalition of the National Alliance, the New Conservative Party, For, the Latvian Association of Regions, and the New Unity would have eight votes.

As reported, the leading political force in Jelgava for many years - the Union of Greens and Farmers - has won the local elections, according to data published by the Central Election Commission (CVK).

The Greens/Farmers, represented by the city council chairman Andris Ravins, won 18.98 percent of the votes in all 16 polling stations in Jelgava.

The joint list of the Sovereign Power and the Association of New Latvians received 18.52 percent of the votes.

At the same time, 10.73 percent of voters supported the New Unity, 10.31 percent - the National Alliance. 9.96 percent of the votes went to the movement For, and 7.62 percent to the New Conservative Party.

The Latvian Association of Regions also won 7.56 percent of the votes, while Latvia First won 6.65 percent.

The other parties in Jelgava did not overcome the 5 percent barrier.