RIGA, March 5 (LETA) - Even though the new law on local governments allows local governments to decide on where to establish local councils, it will not reduce availability of services for residents, said Environment Protection and Regional Development Minister Arturs Toms Pless (For Development) in a press conference today.

Local governments will have to decide themselves where to organize local councils, and it is clear that local councils are not necessary in each small county. 

Pless said that this does not mean that residents will be farther away from services. Pless said that the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry has been working on a unified state and municipal customer service network in Latvia, and plans to develop this network.

This is being done with a goal to make state and municipal services accessible to people.

As reported, the government this week supported the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry's new Law on Local Governments. 

According to the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry, the new law envisages a clearer separation of legislative and executive powers, improving the division of competencies and functions, a clearer definition of local governments' work organization procedures and competences of officials.