RIGA, Oct 8 (LETA) - We may not afford the opposition in the local council because we all have to work together, said Balvi local council chairman Sergejs Maksimovs (Latgale Party) in a discussion organized by the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry.

Maksimovs said that the first 100 days since the administrative territorial reform took force is too short a time to assess the reform's benefits and losses, but the local government has managed to introduce changes in its structure.

He said that there were 48 lawmakers in former Balvi, Vilaka, Baltinava and Rugaji local council but the new Balvi local council consists of 15 lawmakers.

As reported, today 100 days pass since the administrative territorial reform came into force. As a result, 199 municipalities were reformed into 43.