Leading Center Party politicians have still not found a consensus on whether or not the party should allow former Narva mayor Aleksei Jevgrafov, along with many city council members, into the party. Narva has been in the midst of political limbo since fall, which is being amplified as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region continues to grow.
Center Party deputy chairman Jaanus Karilaid told ETV s Aktuaalne kaamera on Wednesday that according to the coalition agreement signed by Center s political group and electoral bloc Meie Narva, Center Party would receive the position of chairman of the city council and Social Democrat MP Katri Raik would become mayor. The two blocs hold 17 of the 31-seat council s votes.
The election of the new mayor of Narva and the chairman of the city council has been pushed back to December 30. The reason given for the delay is the special situation caused by coronavirus and some members are self-isolating.
Katri Raik (SDE), chairman of the Our Narva (Meie Narva) faction, said the reasons given by deputy council chairman Larissa Olenina for the delay are strange. There is no emergency situation in Ida-Viru County that would prevent the council meeting from being held, of course following all the requirements. There is also no certainty that the next council members will not be in self-isolation on December 30. The real goal is to dissolve the council. In today s crisis situation this is an unacceptable political game, she said.