RIGA, May 27 (LETA) - The Riga City Council will ask the government for a EUR 115 million loan for the capital's infrastructure, Riga Mayor Martins Stakis (For/Progressives) said in an interview with commercial TV3 television today.

The loan is necessary to complete construction of bridges and implement other infrastructure projects in the capital.

"We want to go to the next elections with a clear conscience that we have completed the projects of bridges and streets," said Stakis.

He said that a number of projects have already been started and the residents of Riga will have to put up with large-scale road construction.

Stakis said that firing of Riga City Council's Transport Department director Vitalijs Reinbahs had been related with the situation with streets in Riga.

Vitalijs Reinbahs has been suspended as director of Riga City Council’s Transport Department.

Vice mayor Vilnis Kirsis (New Unity) informed that a whistleblower had alerted the city council to several violations in the department.

The alleged violations include non-existent employees on the department's payroll, mishandling of municipal assets and a conflict of interest.

Reinbahs has been suspended pending an inquiry into these allegations.

Reinbahs has been suspended from the post repeatedly. Previously, opposition councilors from Unity party demanded his suspension after the Corruption Prevention Bureau (KNAB) confirmed in a letter that Reinbahs featured as a suspect in a criminal investigation conducted by KNAB.

Reinbahs was first suspended as head of the Transport Department in August 2016 after a meeting on problems with street repairs in Riga. He was later sacked by then Riga mayor Nils Usakovs (Harmony).

Reinbahs appealed his firing in court and in 2019 he was reinstated in his position.

On his return as the Transport Department's director, Reinbahs told LETA that his priorities would include organizing traffic on the city's bridges, patching potholes on the streets and improving air quality in Riga.