Narva standoff continues as opposition calls its own council meeting
Narva's opposition is moving to convene its own city council meeting next week as a months-long standoff continues over leadership of the northeastern border city.
The opposition says it has a majority but has been unable to pass no-confidence votes or replace leadership since March, after city council chair Mihhail Stalnuhhin has canceled meetings and rejected the motions.
Councilmember Urbo Vaarmann, head of the populist movement Plan B's city council group in Narva, said the situation is paralyzing city governance.
"All proposals are stalled, and power is being clung to by any means necessary," he said, stressing that the city can't develop this way.
Vaarmann said he expects a peaceful transfer of power. "I hope it won't come to police involvement," he said. "But if they conclude that a majority of city councilmembers behaved wrong, they can always take the matter to court."
The opposition plans to elect Vaarmann as council chair and reelect Center's Jaan Toots as mayor at Monday's meeting.
Stalnuhhin, meanwhile, said he does not recognize Monday's planned gathering as an official city council meeting and will not be attending.
Citing the Local Government Organization Act, he noted that city council meetings are convened by the council chair. "I did not convene this and do not support breaking the law," Stalnuhhin said.
He added he expects the gathering to remain calm.
"If anyone starts causing any trouble, we of course hope police will step in," the incumbent city council leader said. "But I don't think that will happen. These are very nice, pleasant and intelligent people."
'I'm not sharing an office with Jaan Toots'
Calling the situation "absurd," Mayor Katri Raik said she has no choice but to turn to the chancellor of justice.
"This shows the city can be led without a city council, but this situation can't go on forever," Raik said.
"Indeed, I have no intention of sharing an office or arguing with [ex-mayor] Jaan Toots on Tuesday morning," she added.
Raik also dismissed city secretary Üllar Kaljuste Thursday after he turned down changes to his position's job duties. She said the role is being restructured to include crisis management responsibilities.
Kaljuste will be replaced by Sergei Solodov, head of legal and HR services at the Narva City Office.
With a combined 16 seats, the Center Party and the Plan B–Narva City Pulse electoral alliance now have a one-seat majority in the 31-member city council, overtaking the current governing coalition led by Katri Raik's Respect alliance and Mihhail Stalnuhhin's Narva 2.0 alliance.
The opposition demonstrated its new majority at a city council meeting late last month, moving to trim the agenda and sideline several key issues amid complaints and counter-complaints between city leaders on both sides.
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Editor: Elizaveta Kalugina, Viktor Solts, Märten Hallismaa, Aili Vahtla
