Ventspils Becomes the Presiding City of the Latvian Association of Large Cities (LLPA)

Author: LLPA
 
On July 16, 2025, an off-site meeting of the Latvian Association of Large Cities (LLPA) was held in Ventspils, during which the presidency of the association was transferred from the state city of Riga to the state city of Ventspils. The new LLPA president is Jānis Vītoliņš, Chairman of the Ventspils City Council.
 
The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development, Raimonds Čudars, who discussed with municipal leaders the direction of regional policy beyond 2028, upcoming funding for the next EU multiannual budget period (2028–2034), the ministry’s involvement in advocating for state city issues at the national level in areas such as education, entrepreneurship, digitalisation and security, as well as how the increase in the national defence budget could impact municipal finances.
 
​Jānis Vītoliņš, LLPA President, stated:
“Today, large cities are not only the driving force of regional development, but also the foundation of the country’s overall growth. We are taking over the presidency at a time when Latvia is preparing for the next EU funding period and reassessing the direction of regional development policy. Our task is to ensure that the needs of cities are included in these plans from the ground up – starting with education, infrastructure and quality of life, to mobility, digitalisation and the business environment. Each large city ensures jobs, services, innovation and education within its region – we must work to make sure these functions are appropriately recognised in both national policy and financial allocation. During Ventspils’ presidency, we will focus on practical cooperation, data-driven decision-making, and a strong dialogue with the government.”
 
The Latvian Association of Large Cities was founded on August 23, 2001, to promote closer cooperation in economic, administrative, and cultural matters among Latvia’s state city municipalities. LLPA members include the municipalities of Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jēkabpils Municipality, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Ogre Municipality, Rēzekne, Riga, Ventspils, and Valmiera Municipality.