Narva mayor ousted
At an Narva city council emergency meeting on Thursday, Mayor Eduard East received a vote of no confidence. The Center Party had a majority in the council until 15 of its members broke away, forming a new faction.
Of the 27 council members present, 20 voted against East, and 5 for, rus.err.ee reported. Four councilmen were not present.
Deputy Mayor Tatjana Patsanovskaja will take over duties until a new mayor is elected, which will probably happen at the beginning of December.
Aleksei Voronov, a member of the new faction named “United Narva”, said they wanted to break away to make decision-making more democratic, open and participatory. The new group wanted their own man to lead Estonia's third largest city. There is no visible connection to the upcoming Center Party internal elections between Edgar Savisaar and Kadri Simson, both of whom enjoy great support in Narva.
A representative for the Center Party said the new faction members are still Center Party members and the party remains in power in Narva.
Maardu receives new mayor
Maardu, Estonia's seventh largest city, voted in Valev Kald as its new mayor, after long-serving mayor Georgi Bõstrov died in office a month ago.
Out of the 21 councilmen, 11 voted for Kald and 10 for Center Party member Vladimir Arhipov.
Kald said changes to the coalition agreement are likely to happen.
Since 2013 local election, the election coalition “Maardu coalition” is in power, but has ruled in coalition with the Center Party, which won the rest of the seats at the election.
Editor: J.M. Laats