ABOUT THE DISTRICT

Welcome to Daugavpils district!

Daugavpils district is a juncture between Latgale and Selonia. Strategically situated in the East of Latvia, it consists of 19 parishes and is traversed by the “destiny river” of Latvia – the Daugava. In the section from Krāslava to Krauja, the winding ribbon of the Daugava River follows a remarkably mazy course; beyond Daugavpils and onwards through Līksna and Nīcgale, it runs straight and steady towards the Baltic Sea, bisecting the district territory. To the left lie the Highlands or Selonia, to the right stretches Latgale. Main values of Daugavpils district are its people, sincere and hospitable, its rich cultural and historical heritage and unforgettable natural landscapes that invite everyone to set out for an exciting journey. Welcome to Daugavpils district!

DAUGAVPILS DISTRICT IN FACTS AND FIGURES

Area: 1889.7 km2

Population: 21 771  (01.01.2021.)

Ethnic composition:

4th largest municipality in Latvia (by land area)


13th largest municipality in Latvia (by population)

Distance from Rīga – 232 km (via A6 highway)
Distance from district centre to Lithuanian border – 25 km
Distance from district centre to Belarusian border – 35 km
Distance from district centre to Russian border – 120 km

The district was formed in 2009 from 19 parishes of the former Daugavpils region.
Administrative territories: Ambeļi parish, Biķernieki parish, Demene parish,
Dubna parish, Kalkūne parish, Kalupe parish, Laucesa parish,
Līksna parish, Maļinova parish, Medumi parish, Naujene parish,
Nīcgale parish, Saliena parish, Skrudaliena parish, Svente parish,
Tabore parish, Vabole parish, Vecsaliena parish, Višķi parish

SYMBOLS

Daugavpils district has three officially ratified symbols: coat of arms, logo and flag. All three are markers of belonging to a specific place and tell about its essential attributes and characteristic features.

Usage of district symbols is stipulated in normative regulations by district council from 12 May 2011

Daugavpils district logo

The sun placed centrally in the logo labels Daugavpils district as the southernmost tip of Latvia; the ornamental belt is a symbol of the Daugava River, expressed through ethnographic patterns; the inscription “where the sun dances”, placed in the bottom right corner, continues the line of interpretation and invites perceiving Daugavpils district as an open, sun-kissed rural area, rich in natural and cultural values.

Ratified on 10 February 2011.

Authors: Silva Veronika Linarte and Ināra Mukāne.

Daugavpils district coat of arms

  

Heraldic description – three flying silver banners with tripartite ends, placed horizontally on a red field; central on each banner – a wrought red cross with black dotted lines on the branches.

Interpretation – three flying silver banners on a red field highlight the crucial strategic placement of Daugavpils district in Latvian borderland. The shape of the banners has its roots in mediaeval history and resembles the banners of knights from Dunaburg castle. The three banners flying above Daugavpils district are symbols of our past, present and future.

Ratified by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia on 19 October 2010.

Artists: Silva Veronika Linarte and Andris Pudāns.

Daugavpils district flag

Daugavpils district flag is a rectangular piece of fabric, with aspect ratio 2:1. The flag is double-sided, split in two vertical strips with red (left) and white (right) backgrounds.  The white strip features three flying silver banners with tripartite ends, placed horizontally; central on each banner – a wrought red cross with black dotted lines on the branches.

Consecrated on 18 December 2012 at Līksna Roman Catholic church.

Authors: Silva Veronika Linarte un Andris Pudāns.

COMMEMORATIVE COINS

Daugavpils district – where the sun dances at the southernmost tip of Latvia and the waters of the Daugava River run in ornamental zigzag patterns, slowing their pace and inviting you to pause and discover Latgalian natural and cultural values, exceptional and largely unexplored.

Rainis’ House in Berķenele was conceived as a memorial site for Jānis Rainis (1865-1929) – an outstanding Latvian poet, translator, master playwright and public and political figure.

Rainis’ parents Krišjānis and Dārta Pliekšāni rented Berķenele folwark (subsidiary to a larger estate) from 1872 to 1881. Here, Rainis spent his childhood and formative years. Memories of this place are reflected in his verse novel “Five Sketchbooks from Dagda”, chapter “The Only Scene”.

This poetic masterpiece was conceived when Rainis immigrated to Switzerland and often mentally revisited his sunny land of childhood. Berķenele – “The Only Scene” of the celebrated poet – is the most significant cultural landmark in Daugavpils district, rich in historic, natural and poetic symbols. It has become a fount of inspiration and creativity for art and poetry aficionados.

Meanders of the Upper Daugava twist together in graceful arches the fates of the people who populate its banks as surely as day follows night, and summer comes after winter… As a part of the Upper Daugava Protected Landscape Territory, the nature park „Meanders of the Upper Daugava” is included in the Latvian national list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Its prime attributes are Vecpils hillfort with ruins of a 13th century castle once ruled by the Livonian Order, Slutiski village, “The Daugava Gate” and Juzefova manor park of with its unique glen. At least once in a lifetime everyone should walk the paths of Augšdaugava and enjoy the vistas opening from the steep slopes of Adamova, Ververi and Slutiski.

All the guests of Daugavpils district and collectors of coins are now able to purchase the third coin. The coin is dedicated to our district’s one of the most attractive destinations – a palace of Červonka (second name: Vecsalienas muižas pils). The palace which is depicted on the coin is a unique cultural and historical monument of national importance. Červonka’s palace is an excellent example of high-level architecture. Once owned by the family of Hahn, castle preserved stained glass, which depicts a family coat of arms. From the height of the tower, everyone can observe a wonderful view of the park with walking trails and equipped places of rest.

Commemorative coins can be purchased at Daugavpils district municipal agency “TAKA”. For more information, please call 65476748; 29431360

DAUGAVPILS DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

Arvīds Kucins     

  

Chair of Daugavpils district council
Reception hours:
Mondays 10:00 – 12:00; 14:00 – 18:00
district council headquarters
Telephone: 65422238
arvids.kucins@dnd.lv

Aivars Rasčevskis


First vice chair of Daugavpils district council
aivars.rascevskis@dnd.lv

Vanda Kezika


Executive director of Daugavpils district council
Reception hours:
Mondays 10:00 – 12:00
14:00 – 18:00
district council headquarters
Telephone: 65422237
vanda.kezika@dnd.lv

Ināra Natarova

First vice executive director of Daugavpils district council
Reception hours:
Mondays 10:00 – 12:00
14:00 – 18:00
district council headquarters
Telephone: 65476883
inara.natarova@dnd.lv

Aleksandrs Aizbalts


Vice executive director of Daugavpils district council
Reception hours:
Mondays 10:00 – 12:00
14:00 – 18:00
district council headquarters
Telephone: 65476829
aleksandrs.aizbalts@dnd.lv

Partner municipalities

Zarasai region (Lithuania), 1997

 Vitebsk region (Belarus), 1997

Łomża region (Poland), 2002

Bad Doberan region (Germany), 2002

Braslaw region (Belarus), 2008

Rokiškis region (Lithuania), 2008

Ichnia region (Ukraine), 2010

Sharkovschina region (Belarus), 2011

Zaraysk municipal region (Russia), 2013

Jedinica region (Moldova), 2014

Glubokoya region (Belarus), 2015

CONTACTS

Daugavpils district council
2 Rīgas Street, Daugavpils, LV 5401
Phone (+371) 654 22238
Fax   (+371) 654 76810
dome@daugavpilsnovads.lv

Bank account specifications:
Daugavpils district council
Address: 2 Rīgas Street, Daugavpils, LV 5401
Bank: Treasury of the Republic of Latvia
SWIFT: TRELLV22
Registration number: 90009117568
Account number: LV37TREL9807280440200

Office hours:
Monday 8:30-18:00
Tuesday through Thursday 8:00-16:30
Friday 8:00-15:30
Lunch break 12:00-12:30

Construction board:
Monday: 13.00-18.00
Thursday: 9.00-12.00

Civil registry:

Monday through Friday: 8:00-16:30
Lunch break: 12:00 – 12:30

You are always welcome to visit our Facebook or Instagram page. 

TOURISM

Business environment in Daugavpils district

Daugavpils district is the fourth largest district in Latvia by land area and 13th largest in Latvia by population. It covers 1889.7 km2 and includes Daugavpils urban agglomeration and 19 parishes.

By 01.01.2020, the population of Daugavpils district had reached 22 226.

Land distribution

Most important natural resource in Daugavpils district is arable land, which covers roughly 48 percent of the total area.

Forest is the second most important natural resource in the district. It covers 34.6 percent or 52 554 hectares, which amounts to nearly 2.3 hectares per capita. Most forested parishes in Daugavpils district are Līksna, Saliena, Demene and Medumi with forests covering more than 50 percent of the parish territory.

Most of the private forests are located in Demene (3682.27 ha), Medumi (3490.32 ha) and Saliena (2999.46 ha) parishes. These private forests are also richest in timber. The forests are predominantly coniferous. Pine is the dominant species – 47% of all timber. Birch is also common – 26% of all timber.

Daugavpils district is rich in mineral deposits – peat, clay, sand, gravel, freshwater limestone and sapropel.

Clay

  • 4 clay deposits un 4 prospective resource fields with total  explored reserves amounting to 8760,35 thousand m³ ;
  • Mineral deposit of national importance– deposit “Nīcgale” (in Nīcgale parish)

Sand and sand-gravel

  • 56 known sand and sand-gravel deposits and prospective resource fields with total explored reserves amounting to 85045,30 thousand m³

Freshwater limestone

  • 9 known freshwater limestone deposits and two prospective resource fields with total explored reserves amounting to 233,15 thousand m³

Peat

  • roughly 712 known peat deposits with total prospective reserves amounting to roughly 190000 thousand m3 or 35000 thousand tons, and total known reserves amounting to 1473 thousand m3 or 9962 thousand tons (with conditional humidity 40%)

Sapropel

  • 55 known sapropel deposits with total fields amounting to 1215 ha and total sapropel deposits amounting to 62476 thousand m3 or 16388 thousand tons (with conditional humidity 60%)

Availability of arable land and forest resources is a key factor in dominant business tendencies in Daugavpils district.


SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE

Daugavpils district is part of the Latgale Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Investors may apply for tax reliefs and other support mechanisms.

Tax relief

In cases when the entrepreneur wants to receive the direct tax relief in accordance with the law on the Application of Taxes in Free Ports and Special Economic Zones, a contract must be signed with the administration of Latgale SEZ.

In case the entrepreneur is operating in the territory Latgale SEZ before it gets the status of SEZ, then he can sign a contract with the administration of LSEZ if he plans to invest and receive the tax relief. In other cases the entrepreneur does not have to sign a contract in order to perform commercial activities within the territory of LSEZ. It is also established that the entrepreneurs must be located and must perform commercial activities within the territory of LSEZ, however, that does not exclude the possibility of the entrepreneurs’ legal address being elsewhere.

The application of direct tax relief in SEZ

In accordance with the Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 and the law on Application of Taxes in Free Ports and Special Economic Zones, the direct taxes are the property tax and the corporate income tax. LSEZ companies will receive the direct tax relief from the accumulated amount of investment by applying the maximum allowed support intensity:

  1. 35% – when the company corresponds to category – large company;
  2. 45% – when the company corresponds to category – medium company;
  3. 55% – when the company corresponds to category – small or micro company.

The support rate (35%, 45% or 55%) is applied to the property tax relief and the total sum of the corporate income tax.

The companies that will receive the status of LSEZ company have the right to the following direct tax reliefs:

  1. 80% relief for company income tax
  2. 80% relief for property tax

 What kinds of investment are accepted

In accordance with the law on Application of Taxes in Free Ports and Special Economic Zones, the following are supported:

  • “tangible assets” – land, buildings and factories, equipment;
  • “intangible assets” – assets, that do not have a certain physical or financial form, for example
  • conform to the definition of initial investment and is an investment in tangible and intangible assets related to the creation of a new place of business, improvement of the capacity of an existing place of business, diversification with products that have not been produced in this place of business before, or significant changes to the process of production in an existing place of business
  • bought assets are new (applies to large companies).

Law also determines other requirements for the supported investments when applying for SEZ direct tax relief.

Time limit to making the supported investment

A SEZ company or a licensed company receives a right to apply the direct tax relief starting with the taxation period during which the permission to apply tax reliefs was received and a contract about making investments is signed.

The taxation period for SEZ company or a licensed company for the property tax and the corporate income tax is a calendar year.

Combining the tax reliefs with the initial investment of other support measures

If the LSEZ company or a licensed company in addition to the support provided by LSEZ receives or plans to receive some other support for initial investment for the same costs, then the received support cumulates and maximum amount of support is corrected.

For more information:

Jāzeps Krukovskis 

Daugavpils district municipal council
Development administration

entrepreneurship consultant
jazeps.krukovskis@dnd.lv
+371 26121362, 00371 65422284

Rigas iela 2, Daugavpils, 2nd floor, 29th office