Minister of Regional Affairs Madis Kallas (SDE) has drafted a bill to rename five streets in Narva. The Narva City Council did not oppose the renaming of the street that commemorates the 1944 Battle of Narva from 26. juuli tänav to Juuli tänav.

However, the city council voted against renaming the streets named after Soviet heroes of the Red Army: Aleksei Yuhhanovi (the proposed new name was Väike-Rakvere), Arsenti Bastrakovi (Masina), Igor Grafovi (Madise), and Mihhail Gorbatši (Seedri). One of the main arguments was that these men did not fight against the Republic of Estonia.

Ten council members voted in favor, five against and two abstained. Thursday's historic meeting in the newly renovated town hall was attended by only 9 council members.

In addition, the council did not deem it necessary to approve the proposal of the Narva city government, which recommended renaming 1. mai (to Jaama) and  
Partisani (to Loome) streets in addition to the already mentioned five.

The new coalition includes 18 of Narva's 31 municipal council members; however, members of the new coalition could vote freely on street names.

Today's decision by the Narva council is not binding on the regional minister and the state can still change the street names.

Two street names in Narva have been changed by the city council this year: the streets named after two Soviet revolutionaries Albert-August Tiimann and Ants Dauman (Tiimanni and Daumani) have been renamed to Soldina and Kivilinna.

Next to that, two motions of no confidence were introduced during Thursday's session: one against council president Tatyana Stolfat (Kesk) and the other against vice president Vadim Orlov (Kesk). These will be discussed at the council meeting on September 15.

Last week, two political factions in Narva, Respekt and Narva Heaks, decided to form a new coalition. The two factions currently in power, Narva Tulevik and Kesk, have now merged and is likely to work in opposition as Kesk.

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