Rural-urban Interaction Inclusion in Ongoing Latvia Regional Reform

Abstract

The ongoing process of regional reform in Latvia involves the vision of both rural and urban territories. The nexus between the city and the countryside and inclusion of it into realistic policy is deemed a good approach for solving failures of the European cohesion policy. To study cohesion between rural and urban areas, there is a need to identify the meaning of two concepts – the city and the countryside. The field rural and urban territories interact is the regional spatial level. And to manage regional development the normative framework is important. Aim of the research is to find does the new regional reform in Latvia is in close cohesion with the New Urban Agenda, especially linkages of rural and urban. Development politics included in research tend to include a question regarding rural-urban interaction, but only in some points. Documents of the United Nations included in research provide a very clear definition of the actions to be taken to ensure cohesion between urban and rural territories. The next step would be to assess and understand how to achieve. The issues of creation and opportunities of cohesion have been discussed in Latvia. It is not clear does the ongoing regional reform in Latvia will achieve declared goals regarding rural-urban interaction after ongoing discussions with the local municipalities.