Varakļāni Municipality
Varakļāni Municipality
Varakļānu novads | |
|---|---|
|
Coat of arms | |
| Country | Latvia |
| Municipalities | Madona |
| Formed | 2009 |
| Dissolved | 2025 |
| Centre | Varakļāni |
| Government | |
| • Council Chair (last) | Māris Justs (LA) |
| Area | |
• Total | 277.95 km2 (107.32 sq mi) |
| • Land | 272.09 km2 (105.05 sq mi) |
| • Water | 5.86 km2 (2.26 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total | 2,890 |
| • Density | 10.6/km2 (27.5/sq mi) |
| Website | www |
Varakļāni Municipality (Latvian: Varakļānu novads) was a municipality in Latgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed on 1 July 2009 by merging Varakļāni town, Murmastiene Parish and Varakļāni Parish of the former Madona district. The administrative centre was Varakļāni. It was merged into Madona Municipality on 1 July 2025.
Parts of Teiči Nature Reserve are located in the Municipality. The population in 2020 was 2,990.[3]
2021–25 merger reforms
The 2021 Latvian administrative reform initially envisaged the incorporation of Varakļāni Municipality into Rēzekne Municipality. A significant opposition arose from local residents, parts of whom advocated for the preservance of the status quo, or coalesed around integration with Madona Municipality instead, and lead to protests. In June 2020, the municipal council filed a petition with the Constitutional Court of Latvia. On 28 May 2021, the Court adjudicated that the planned merger was unconstitutional.[4] Despite it, on 31 May the Saeima voted to continue the amalgamation as planned. An intervention of the President of Latvia Egils Levits in an effort to avoid triggering a constitutional crisis[5] lead to a delayment until 2025.[6]
The 2021 Latvian municipal elections were thus held in Varakļāni and showcased a significant polarization away from Rēzekne politics.[7] Subsequently, in June 2024, the Saeima ratified the dissolution of Varakļāni Municipality, rectifying the decision to incorporation with Madona Municipality instead.[8][9] Varakļāni Municipality was officially dissolved on 1 July 2025, concurrently with the inaugural session of the newly reconstituted Madona Municipal Council.[10]
Gallery
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Map of the municipality, 2021
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Varakļāni Palace
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Teiči Nature Reserve
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Crucifix hut in Murmastiene
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Stirniene Saint Laurentius Catholic Church, Varakļāni Parish
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Varakļāni Station
See also
References
- ^ "Reģionu, novadu, pilsētu un pagastu kopējā un sauszemes platība gada sākumā". Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ^ "Iedzīvotāju skaits pēc tautības reģionos, pilsētās, novados, pagastos, apkaimēs un blīvi apdzīvotās teritorijās gada sākumā (pēc administratīvi teritoriālās reformas 2021. gadā)". Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "ISG020. Population number and its change by statistical region, city, town, 21 development centres and counties". Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia. 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
- ^ Auers, Dainis (June 2021). "CONTINUITY IN CHANGE? Latvia's Local Governments after Regional Reform and Local Government Elections" (PDF). Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Baltikum - Perspective. ISBN 978-9934-8853-5-8.
- ^ "President of Latvia expects Varakļāni region status issue to be resolved according to Satversme | Valsts prezidenta kanceleja". www.president.lv. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "Deputies elected in Varaklani: People's election was motivated by the future of the local area after the regional reform". Baltics News. 2021-09-12. Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ Šteinfelde, Ilze (2021-09-13). "The election results confirm that combining Varakļāni and Rēzekne municipalities would be a mistake". Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ^ "Varakļāni, Madona municipalities merge". Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
- ^ "Saeima lemj nepārzīmēt novadu karti; Varakļānus pievienos Madonai". www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
- ^ "Par Madonas novada domes priekšsēdētāju ievēlēts Agris Lungevičs - Madona.lv" [Agris Lungevičs is elected Chairman of Madona Municipality [on its first session after the merge]]. madona.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-07-27.
56°36′N 26°45′E / 56.600°N 26.750°E