Ministry: With some exceptions, forced mergers will be completed
Local governments who have received a forced merger warning from the Ministry of Finance have until May 15 to either demonstrate their independent administrative capacity or sign a merger agreement.
Väino Tõemets, director of the ministry's Regional Administration Department, told ERR's radio news that forced merger warnings were sent to 22 local governments which were uninterested in voluntary mergers and do not meet the new minimum required population size of 5,000.
By the ministry official's estimate, the forced mergers recommended by the Ministry of Finance will definitely be carried out, with a few small exceptions.
While Järva County's Koeru Municipality initially did not want to join the newly forming Järva Municipality, after receiving a warning from the ministry, Koeru leaders warmed to the idea and, according to the mayor of the municipality, they are now ready to reinitiate merger talks with the municipality being formed.
At the same time, however, Rapla County's Juuru Municipality plans to take their fight against being forced to merge with the newly forming Rapla Municipality to court.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
