Ventspils ex-mayor’s income on a rise, but his income declaration shows more debts as well

Last year, the income of Ventspils City Council deputy, ex-mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs, who is accused of severe crimes of corruption and remains under international sanctions, reached EUR 125 362, which is EUR 9 305 more than the year prior, according to his income declaration for 2023.
In 2023, Lembergs earned EUR 32 198 from his work in the municipal council, where he is the head of the Social Affairs Committee and a member in two other committees.
His pension went up by EUR 2 307, reaching EUR 84 306. The State Social Insurance Agency paid him EUR 4 967 in benefits. He also declared income of EUR 3 891 from economic activities.
In his income declaration, Lembergs mentioned that he is a board member in the political party For Latvia and Ventspils and a member in Ventspils Development Agency and Latvian Transit Business Association.
He owns a plot of land and buildings in Riga, three plots of land in Puze Parish, two plots of land in Ugāle Parish. He also owns an apartment and real estate in Ventspils, as well as land and buildings in Puze Parish.
According to his income declaration, Lembergs owns shares in Latvijas Krājbanka worth EUR 8 450 in nominal value and one share in Ventbunkers JCS worth EUR 142 in nominal value. He also owns 799.32 privatisation certificates.
In non-cash savings, Lembergs declared EUR 577 225 and USD 30 487 (about EUR 27 766) in AS Swedbank. In cash, Lembergs has declared a savings of EUR 135 000.
He owns a VW Caddy (1999), an Opel Tigra (1997), a MAZ 81144 trailer, Sea Doo 205 Utopia motorboat and a boat trailer, as well as six other boats. Lembergs also uses a Porsche Cayenne (2015) and a Toyota Hilux (2007).
In addition to the debts left from previous years, Lembergs acquired new debts worth EUR 37 000. He still owes USD 2.5 million (EUR 3 187 613) to one creditor, USD 1 769 303 (EUR 1 611 387) to a second one, and EUR 10 million to a third one. “Regarding my debts I would like to report that these are my personal debts I have before my children, not some bank or credit institution,” Lembergs told LETA, commenting on his debts.
Despite this, however, he himself has lent someone EUR 232 412.
Also read: Mentioning sanctioned Lembergs, US ambassador urges Latvia to not go back
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