The Court of Economic Affairs have started reviewing the case in which Dienas mediji and Dienas bizness publishing houses are required to pay EUR 1.5 million, as reported by LTV programme De Facto on Sunday, the 16th of April.
The plaintiff in this case is Ostas parks LLC. The aforementioned amount includes issued loans and accumulated interest. In his explanations provided to the court, Dienas mediji board member and owner Edgars Kots named “the individuals in whose favour and interests Ostas parks had provided the published with the money”. They are Ainārs Šlesers (Latvia in First Place), Andris Šķēle and Aivars Lembergs (For Latvia and Ventspils).
The fact that Diena and Dienas bizness are under the influence of this trio of oligarchs has been known every since both were bought from Swedish media concern Bonnier. But it has become officially known only now. This also shines a light on how Diena is really financed.
The court has yet to start viewing the case seriously because Dienas biznes lawyer announced that the two sides are currently in the middle of negotiations for a peaceful resolution.
De Facto explains that Ostas parks board member Jānis Lācis – an acquaintance of of Anrijs Lembergs – between October 2016 and September 2020 signed a total of 20 loan contracts for Dienas mediji. It was revealed at the first court hearing that for at least six contract from 2017 (worth EUR 410 000) the repayment term still has not come. The repayment term was later extended until October 2024 with a signature from Lācis.
The explanation from Edgars Kots/Dienas mediji claims “the contracts called loan contracts,
were not loans – they were gifts
that were meant to hide allocation of financing towards the defendant’s issued press publications (especially Diena newspaper) in order to compose content that complies with beneficial owners’ political and economic agenda”.
The people in whose interests financing was provided while hiding it behind loan contracts signed by Jānis Lācis are Ainārs Šlesers, Aivars Lembergs and Andris Šķēle, as mentioned in the defendant’s explanations.
Previously Kots was hesitant to mention these people, De Facto reminds.
Explanations also mention that Ostas parks operations were ensured and financed using money from Riga Commercial Port (RTO).
The latest annual account from Dienas mediji (for 2021) mentions that Ostas parks is the company’s biggest creditor with loans worth more than EUR 2.5 million. “The company’s biggest creditor has confirmed to the company in writing that it will not request repayment of the debt in a way that would put at risk the company’s continued operations,” as mentioned in Dienas mediji annual account.
Šlesers told De facto he knows nothing about this lawsuit: “Let the people who are invited come, but I have nothing to do with this lawsuit. Thank you! […] Well, the dates on which we acquired, invested finances into this company are known, but I have nothing in common with Mr. Kots. So he will have to explain everything to the court on his own. Best of luck!”
Šķēle told the programme he is confused over what Kots said: “I don’t know anything about any loans! But if Kots isn’t the beneficial owner, they he has broken the law. […] Yes! Now he’s in court! It means he broke the law. He is not registered as a beneficial owner.”
He stressed he knows nothing of the lawsuit or the witnesses that may be invited to testify: “So let them get those witnesses. Why are you torturing me? I don’t know anything! I don’t know of any Ostas parks or Lācis! I know of Kots, so what?”
Lembergs asked the programme to present “more specific questions” and said nothing.
De Facto notes that Dienas mediji told the court that a similar method was used to finance other media –
Ostas parks signed similar contracts with Mediju nams LLC.
Those too were registered as loan contracts, but the real goal was financing Mediju nams and its published Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze newspaper.
The programme reminds that since 2016 until summer 2022 Mediju nams board member and owner was non other than Anrijs Lembergs’ brother-in-law Nauris Kāpostiņš. He refused to comment the situation to De Facto.
When asked if he plans to testify in court if the judge satisfies the request from Dienas mediji and invites him as a witness, Kāpostiņš said: “I’m no lawyer, but as far as I know, giving internationally false testimony in court is a criminal offence, and I absolutely don’t’ need that… New conditions could change my opinion of confidentiality.”
Among the witnesses asked to testify by Dienas mediji is Anrijs Lembergs, former officials of Riga Commercial Port Jānis Maršāns, Jānis Svārpstons and Ralfs Kļaviņš, as well a Aivars Lembergs’ son-in-law Jānis Austriņš and Šķēle’s son-in-law Juris Pētersons.
Dienas mediji believe they can provide information that will prove the total unfoundedness of the action brought by Ostas parks. The question regarding witnesses is left open until the court hearing scheduled for May, as reported by De Facto.
Also read: BNN ANALYSES | Court reschedules hearing because it interfered with Ventspils ex-mayor’s leisure trip