Narva Mayor Faces Ouster Motion Days After Narrow Confirmation
Just one week after her government was approved by a single vote, Narva Mayor Katri Raik is confronting a no-confidence motion from opposition factions citing poor city management, a move that coincides with a parallel challenge against the city council's chairman.
- —Narva's opposition, comprising the Center Party and Plaan B factions, has filed a no-confidence motion against Mayor Katri Raik, citing poor city management and accumulated stagnation.
- —The motion was submitted by Urbo Vaarmann, leader of the Plaan B faction, during a city council meeting on January 29, 2026, supported by a package of 15 documents.
- —The city council had previously approved the formation of the city government led by Katri Raik on January 22, 2026, by a narrow margin of 16 to 15 votes.
- —The city council meeting also addressed other agenda items, including the approval of Narva's 2035+ general plan, granting building rights for a football club, and approving a cycling-pedestrian path project.
- —Separately, a no-confidence vote was announced against the chairman of the city council, Mikhail Stalnukhin, which, if successful, would lead to the election of a new chairman.
Recap
The dual no-confidence motions against Narva's mayor and city council chairman signal a systemic governance crisis, not merely a political dispute. This coordinated challenge, launched immediately after a fragile government was formed, suggests a deliberate power play aimed at paralyzing the city's administration. The vague accusations of 'stagnation' without specific evidence point to an effort to exploit a razor-thin majority, threatening to derail the city's strategic development.