Mayor Katri Raik described the budget as conservative but said it will allow the city to continue key investments, including in the city's roads and sidewalks.

"We're building a new kindergarten, a new school, and planning a new sports facility," Raik said, adding that the city will also complete renovations at a dormitory, expand a care home and continue work on Stockholm Square in the city center.

The mayor noted that while residents might hope for additional support during hard times, this budget will not provide it. However, kindergarten teachers, hobby school instructors and coaches will see pay increases, she added.

Opposition members criticized the city council for rejecting their proposals. Urbo Vaarmann, head of the "Plan B Narva City Pulse" electoral alliance, said the coalition ignored calls for support for residents and small businesses, as well as tourism initiatives.

"The worst part is that during the election, we all made big promises of big changes," he said.

City can weigh additional measures

According to Vaarmann, proposals voted down included lighting for the city's riverfront promenade, which he said would support Narva's goal of becoming a tourism hub, and raising the city's childbirth grant to €1,200.

The one-time grant, paid out on the birth of a child, is currently €800 in Narva — €200 less than in neighboring Narva-Jõesuu.

Raik said raising the childbirth grant would be a lovely little step the city could afford. She added that now that Narva finally has a 2026 budget, it can consider additional measures for things like tourism or family support.

The mayor noted Narva's debt burden is expected to remain within 41 percent of the budget this year, though the budget memo warned it could rise to 53 percent by year-end.

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