Cesis municipality is one of those municipalities that are relatively close to Riga, and many people choose to live there because of that. Even though two rental apartment houses have been built in the city, and Draugiem Group technologies company has established a new company Majas Cesis to develop rental house villages, demand for rental apartments and houses is higher than the supply. Cesis regional mayor Janis Rozenbergs (New Unity) in an interview with LETA explained how the municipality is looking for and finds solutions, how it develops the regional infrastructure, what is offered in education and culture.

Also, your municipality has received objections from the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry in relation to amendments to the territorial planning. What do you think about these objections?

As we understand from informal consultations with the ministry’s officials, the most serious objections have been raised against regulations on gambling in Cesis municipality. We had planned that these amendments do not refer to the currently working gambling halls, but new operators will face some restrictions. In the past ten years the gambling hall network has been optimized, there are three gambling halls in Cesis that meet all regulations, so the market has regulated itself already.

Do you have four- and five-star hotels in the municipality where gambling services can be provided?

Yes -Villa Santa and Hotel Cesis.

Have residents said in any polls that the supply of gambling services is excessive or unnecessary?

We have not made such a poll of all residents of Cesis municipality, but there are signals in the municipality about families who have suffered from gambling addiction.

Early this year you polled residents about the future for Lielstraupe Castle that after the administrative territorial reform now has to be run by your municipality. What were people’s proposals about the castle?

About 800 residents participated in the poll and more than 84 percent believe that this castle is significant cultural heritage. Art historian Imants Lancmanis said that Lielstraupe Castle is an excellent example of Vidzeme chivalry, and it should be preserved as such. 81 percent believe that the castle should belong to the local government.

There is a question about functions of the castle because the maintenance costs are high. We see that this castle could have public functions and commercial functions, distributing risks and investments. The functions of the local government would be culture tourism, museology - the history of Vidzeme chivalry, Hansa, it would be interesting also to show the aspect of narcological treatment in this building for so many years. Commercial activities would include catering, hospitality, accommodation. Also, movie industry is interested in the castle building, there are regular shootings there, bringing additional income. The problem is that the local government should provide 80 percent of the functions and 20 percent can be given to business activities.

Is that the main problem issue hindering the local government’s progress in this respect?

Yes, it is responsibility of the state - the Health Ministry and the Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry should make the decisions. The government officials have said that the state does not need the castle, Valsts Nekustamie Ipasumi state-owned property manager has said that they have neither resources, nor time to manage the property. What remains is to sell it or hand it over to the local government. As the local government does not plan to place a school, culture center or administrative offices there, the only local government’s function would be preservation of its cultural heritage. In our opinion, a special bill to hand it over to the local government without the requirement for 80 percent/20 percent function distribution would help to balance the public and business principles.

Cesis municipality also ran for the title of European Capital of Culture 2027, but even though you did not get to the next stage, you did not give up and announces Cesis as the Latvian Capital of Culture for 2025. What will you offer to your residents and tourists? What is the goal of that?

We decided still to implement our program because of the big work and new ideas already invested in the project. In the work group we decided that we will implement exactly the same program without the European and government funding. We will do what we are already doing and what we want to do - developing the infrastructure. As the administrative territorial reform merged seven municipalities together, we see this as a project for merger of municipalities and strengthening and developing the new municipality, including in culture.

Do the small municipalities not criticize you that after the reform they are left alone and everything is happening only in Cesis?

Our municipality is rich in cultural heritage - Ligatne paper mill, Araisi lake castle, Piebalga museums, musems of Karlis Skalbe, Emils Darzins, the Kaudzites brothers, Eduards Veidenbaums, the Cesis old town, Ungurmuiza manor, Veselava manor. I think that this is another way of proving ourselves - it is not so that we are trying to convince others that we need money, but that we are doing what we like and we are happy if anybody else likes it.

How is business developing in the municipality, what difficulties do business representatives face?

Like in other places in Latvia, hospitality sector was the one that faced restrictions during Covid-19 pandemic, but all hotels and restaurants continued operations. I hope that with every week, month we will return to the usual life. In relation to manufacturing, business representatives say that this sector is developing faster than they had planned. Also, in the world we see that demand for goods is growing. Thus, all manufacturers are working. Agriculture and forestry are also growing. We see that creative industries, information technologies are developing in our municipality. Representatives of these sectors can work remotely. The pandemic proved that if there is good internet connection, it does not matter where you are located.

We have purchased a complex of an old factory in the city center and plan to develop creative industries, co-working space, education and culture events there. This would be a huge infrastructure investment in the context of Cesis as Latvian capital of culture.

You have a new sector in the municipality - military industry. How will it affect business in the municipality?

Yes, a cooperation agreement between Latvia and Finland provides for renovation and supply of military equipment. Finnish company Patria in cooperation with local business representatives in Cesis will assemble and later also manufacture armored vehicles needed for the army. This is something new, and I hope that this military industry will develop further. There are many metalworking and electronic companies involved. I hope that in cooperation with Finland, our youth in Vidzeme Design and Technology School will obtain new professional competence.

Cesis is one of the most popular town where people choose to live, but there are problems with housing. What solutions are you looking for?

Speaking with real estate agents, people’s interest in Cesis and the whole municipality is huge. Property prices are close to the prices in Riga. On the one hand, it is bad that property prices are that high because properties then are unavailable and expensive for local residents. On the other hand - it is interesting for investors. They see that there is no supply in Cesis. Siguldas Buvmeistars is building semi-detached houses. The demand for these apartments is very high. Next year they will continue with multi-apartment houses. There are other investors interested in land properties. Then there is Draugiem Group projects - 30 smaller houses with a 50 percent rent discount for teachers. They plan to start this project this year. Residents of Riga, for example, initially used their houses in Piebalga as holiday houses, later as summer houses, but now they choose to live there permanently and work remotely.

In order to live and work in the country, good road infrastructure is necessary. Are there any problematic roads in the municipality?

We have huge road infrastructure - 2,600 kilometers of state and municipal roads. It is one of the most painful issues because roads are not ideal. The main state roads are gradually improving - Vidzeme road, Valmiera road, Vecpiebalga road. The Cesis-Stalbe road is in a poor condition.

Will you get the promised improvements in road infrastructure after the administrative territorial reform?

The Garkalne-Alauksts road has been included in the network of state priority roads by Latvijas Valsts Celi state road manager, it would be a huge investment in Cesis municipality. A second important infrastructure object would be the bridge over the Gauja River in Ligatne. The Transport Ministry also has another program, providing that there should be asphalt surface leading to every historical center. There are several places without asphalt in the territory, If we manage to do that, it will be another step in improving mobility.

Do you feel that residents’ requests for municipal support have increased due to price hikes?

It is not yet clear how energy prices will form next year. Forecasts are different. One of the current support measures is housing benefit provided to the residents who need it. We will definitely react to changes through budget amendments.

How have you managed to arrange the school network in the municipality?

There are 6,500 children in municipal schools and kindergartens, half of them in Cesis. Schools are quite filled in Cesis. So, we are looking for ways to increase their capacities - not by building new ones but by revising the current schools.

In relation to the whole school network in the municipality, there are no threats that any of the schools should be closed. There might be discussions about education level - basic school, secondary school, preschool. There is no doubt either that the municipality needs a special school. There will be discussions, but I can assure that no education institution will be liquidated.

How are you able to admit and ensure the necessary support to Ukrainian refugees?

In early May, slightly more than 400 refugees were registered in our municipality, half of them were adults, the other half were children. As there were many teachers among women, we have recruited them as teaching assistants who help children get integrated. I have not heard about any complications or difficulties there, children are making friends easily, and it seems that everything is good.

The accommodation possibilities have been exhausted in the town, now we can accommodate the refugees within 10-kilometer distance from Cesis., There are also refugees who are going back to Ukraine. We have arranged a meet-up with local business representatives where Ukrainians were able to find job opportunities. Several Ukrainian medics are working in a clinic in Cesis. We are dealing with it. If the flow is gradual, we can deal with it. This is a new experience for us and the country.

Are you paying social benefits to refugees? How much resources does it take?

They receive benefits from social budget - housing benefit, crisis benefit, the guaranteed minimum income benefit. In cooperation with our NGOs we provide them with food, clothing, also people and business representatives are donating. We also issue food coupons so that they can have a warm meal.

Will you run for the 14th Saeima elections?

No, I will not. I was addressed in this respect, but last year after the elections I have made a decision to continue my work in Cesis. This territorial reform process is both complicated and interesting. It is a completely new experience, new people, problems, challenges.

What do you think about the administrative territorial reform? Do you see its benefits?

This is a transitional and adaptation period. There are many things that are changing fundamentally. I think that the reform was necessary because the municipal network was not homogeneous. Now we see how different the municipalities are. I speak about municipal support measures. We are trying to keep the good things. Municipalities are fighting for residents because human resources are a deficit today. This has been an opportunity to consolidate the best people in many areas, and I hope that we will increase professional capacity in this way.

How many vacancies do you have in the municipality?

We have vacancies in social service, legal service, custody court. This once again proves that the situation with human resources is complicated.

What is special about your municipality?

We are implementing one of the biggest projects - cosmos science project. It is not only rockets and satellites. Turnover of cosmos industry in Norway is about EUR 8.5 billion kronas. Understanding of the cosmos industry in Latvia is very distant and unattractive. During my trip to Norway, I got inspired and I plan to organize a broader conversation how Cesis municipality could be a part of tomorrow. We have two scientific institutes in Cesis municipality and we have a branch of Riga Technical University in Cesis, we have Business incubator and Cosmos Center. We would need to combine these education, business and science blocs. I have big hopes for it.