RIGA, Nov 20 (LETA) - Saeima Public Administration and Local Government Committee decided at a meeting on Wednesday to instruct the government to promptly decide on altering the boundaries of Adazi and Ropazi regions so that residents could stand for election and vote in next year's local government elections.

The committee concluded that the government had not altered the boundaries of Garkalne and Adazi regions by separating Garkalne County and attaching it to Adazi Region by October 29, as stipulated in transitional provisions of the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas. The committee believes that the Cabinet of Ministers must respect the opinion of Garkalne County and Adazi Region.

The committee agreed to instruct the Cabinet of Ministers to ensure implementation of the transitional provisions of the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas and to draft a bill on new boundaries of Garkalne and Adazi regions in accordance with the will expressed by residents of the municipalities, which was previously supported in principle by the councils of Adazi and Ropazi regions.

At the committee's meeting, residents of Baltezers claimed that they used infrastructure of Adazi Region, while their taxes went to Ropazi Region, and urged the government to reverse its decision on Tuesday not to alter the boundaries of Adazi and Ropazi municipalities.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet of Ministers examined a report on implementation of the Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas, prepared by the Regional Development Ministry, and agreed to keep the areas of Garkalne County in Ropazi Region to unchanged for the time being.

Given that municipal elections in Latvia will be held in early June next year, it is impossible to ensure a person's right to stand as a candidate in the elections if the boundaries of the municipalities are amended at this time, the ministry explained.

Further decisions on changing municipal boundaries should be taken by the newly elected municipal councils, said the ministry.

Meanwhile, residents of Garkalne County and Baltezers village have sent an open letter to the president, prime minister, smart administration and regional development minister, head of Saeima Legal Affairs Bureau, Saeima members, as well as heads of Adazi and Ropazi region councils, calling for Baltezers village to be included in Adazi Region, as this is in line with the will expressed by residents of Garkalne County and Baltezers village, as well as with the decisions taken by Ropazi and Adazi region councils.