TGS Baltic is reporting that the firm successfully represented the Estonian municipalities of Noo and Luunja and the town of Loksa in matters related to the Estonian government's proposal to have them merge.
According to TGS Baltic, the firm "has been questioning the constitutional aspects of the administrative reform since 2016," as "under the leadership of Paul Varul, TGS Baltic represented twenty-three municipalities in the Supreme Court, stating the reform violates the constitutional rights of municipalities in too many points." The firm reports that, "in December 2016, the Supreme Court made a very favorable decision in the main matter of the Administrative Reform Act, agreeing that the requirement of 5000 inhabitants is not decisive, and there are also other criteria demonstrating administrative capacity." (As reported by CEE Legal Matters on December 30, 2016).
Now, on July 6, 2017, according to TGS Baltic, "the government decided that Noo municipality and Luunja municipality will continue as independent municipalities. An exception was also made to the town of Loksa already on June 15."
The TGS Baltic team was led by Senior Associate Triin Raudsepp. TGS Baltic reports that it continues to represent the ten municipalities disputing the forced merger decision against the government.
