Presentation about Rezekne Municipality
Territory: 2524km2
Population: 29772 [information on 01.01.2015]
Residents by ethnicity: the Latvians- 57,91 %, the Russians- 36,641%, the Poles- 1,29%, the Byelorussians 1,25 %, Ukrainians 0,5%, other nationalities- 1, 86 %, without the nationality-1,29 % (information 01.01.2014)
Rēzekne municipality is situated in the Eastern part of Latvia named Latgale. It is located near the eastern border of Latvia which is also the border of the European Union. The location provides many opportunities for cooperation with Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia as the closest neighbours.
The territory of the municipality is crossed by the international highways Riga- Moscow, St. Petersburg- Warsaw and international railways. The territory is used as a transit corridor for many companies.
In Rēzekne municipality, there are mostly micro and small enterprises; only some big and middle enterprises. The highest turnover is in wood processing, construction of roads and highways, and freight traffic. The most important fields of entrepreneurship:
• agriculture which has the most active rural enterprises;
• industry which employs the highest number of population;
• tourism which is the most popular entrepreneurship activity.
Part of the territory belongs to Rēzekne Special Economic Zone. The companies which are registered in Rēzekne Special Economic Zone can get both direct tax reductions (real estate tax, enterprise income tax) and indirect tax allowances.
Rēzekne municipality consists of 25 rural territories (Audriņi, Bērzgale, Čornaja, Dricāni, Feimaņi, Gaigalava, Griškāni, Ilzeskalns, Kantinieki, Kaunata, Lendži, Lūznava, Malta, Mākoņkalns, Nautrēni, Nagļi, Ozolaine, Ozolmuiža, Puša, Rikava, Sakstagals, Silmala, Stoļerova, Stružāni, Vērēmi).
Picturesque nature, historical and cultural monuments promote the development of tourism. It is possible to explore the history of 237 state protected culture monuments, attend festivals and taste the local culinary heritage, listen to the Latgalian language and enjoy the Latgalian hospitality and relax at 180 lakes (including Lake Rāzna and Lake Lubāns, the biggest lakes of Latvia).
There is a great biological variety in Lake Lubans and surrounding wetlands that are among the most important domestic wetland complexes in the Baltic States. Many species which are endangered in Europe can be explored in the rural territories of Rēzekne municipality: the black stork (Ciconia nigra), the lesser-spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), the woodpecker (Picoides lucotos), the wolf (Canis lupus), the beaver (Costa fiber), etc. It is possible to get bream, pike, perch, roach, pikeperch, crucian carp, eel, whitefish, vendace, European smelt, bleak in the lakes, rivers and ponds.
Rēzekne municipality is proud of intangible cultural values, such as amateur music and theatre groups, as well as popular woodcarvers, weavers, masters of jewellery, leather, metal processing, ceramicists etc. Local people can participate in 109 amateur art groups including 5 choirs, 13 dance groups, 1 brass band, 2 rural bands, 19 vocal ensembles and 16 amateur theatres. In 25 rural territories, there are 28 culture houses, 57 libraries, 3 museums and 1 children music school.
The children have to possibility to choose between 13 basic schools, 6 secondary schools, 3 special boarding basic schools and 19 kindergartens. After school they can attend 1 children and youth sports school, 1 children art school or 1 children and youth center.