Construction delays investigated at Latvian border
The construction of Latvia's eastern border, a project that has been in the works for several years, continues to be shrouded in controversy. The state-owned company Valsts nekustamie ipšumimi (VNĪ) completed the fence for the border with Belarus this summer, but the border with Russia remains incomplete, as planned for completion in 2019.
Negotiations are ongoing to resolve the contract with Igate, a private construction company, with the company's representative, Jurģis Kijoneks, stating that they are ready to fulfill the contract and have never wanted to cancel it. The contract, still valid despite no work being carried out for five years, has been the centre of allegations of fraud and mismanagement.
The prosecutor believes that as a result of the fraud, the border guard illegally paid out millions of euros from its own funds to the company. Co-owner of Igate, Māris Peilāns, construction supervisor Valērijs Bluss, former border guard officers Uldis Zemmers, and Jolanta Ķikute are among the accused in this case. However, none of these cases has resulted in a first-instance verdict yet, suggesting they could drag on for a longer period.
Seven criminal trials are pending for alleged offenses committed during the construction of the eastern border infrastructure. Another case involves the former head of the border guard service, Normunds Garbars, who is among the accused for improper purchases of cameras and sensors. According to the indictment in this case, representatives of the Igate company, construction supervisors, and border guard employees are being sued for using cheaper materials in the construction of the border and for the border guard paying for works not provided for in the procurement.
The main stumbling block in the negotiations is determining how and who will eliminate nonconformities in the project, which could cost several million euros. If VNĪ undertakes the elimination of nonconformities, it may result in the state paying twice for the same work.
Employees of the State Security Agency are being sued for buying inadequate temporary barbed wire for the Belarusian border and for felling protected trees cut down near the border strip. The search results do not provide direct information on who has taken responsibility for the delays in constructing the border fence between Russia and Latvia over the years.
Jelena Gavrilova, a member of the board of VNĪ, states that the construction is mainly complicated by swamps and harsh weather conditions. More than 180 kilometers of fences, roads, and paths still need to be built for the eastern border.
Six construction companies are performing the works in different stages. The company Igate has acted according to the wishes of the State Border Guard in the construction of the border infrastructure. The case has been in court for two years, and it is not known when the verdict of the first instance could be reached. The border with Russia remains unfinished, a testament to the ongoing controversies surrounding its construction.
