Opinion of ex-deputy of Ventspils City Council Aivis Landmanis.
Soon the Saeima will pass in the final reading amendments to the Law on Ports that provide for remaking sea port of Riga and Ventspils into capital companies with a distribution of shares between the state and municipalities at 60:40.
While Riga understands the need for the reform, [Aivars] Lembergs’ political party continues attempts to torpedo it. Chairman of Ventspils City Council Jānis Vītoliņš has told Minister of Transport Tālis Linkaits – no «big brother» and «little brother» relations. Management of the new company needs to be organised in a way that would prevent the imprisoned ex-chairman of Ventspils City Council from making any important decisions. The people who are directly responsible for US sanctions and losing influence over Ventspils city are quick to accuse and the thief points to other people and shout: «Get the thief!»
Vītoliņš’s stoicism is soured by the policy dictated by his imprisoned master. This policy directly prevents the situation from normalising and prevents Ventspils from establishing more favourable conditions.
Before calling the government bad and the country inept and the awful US sanctions aimed at Lembergs and allegedly requested by Latvia, Vītoliņš should instead consider the extent of the damages that were caused by the blind lobbying of interests of an imprisoned person.
Retrospective
For thirty years Ventspils freeport authority was abused for Lembergs’ illegal interests. Using his influence over political parties and individual politicians and using bribes whenever possible, Lembergs had basically achieved control over Ventspils freeport authority. He used it to increase his own wealth and as a tool for settling score. The illegal influence over Ventspils freeport authority was one of the reasons for the charges and US sanctions against Ventspils. But Lembergs is not the only one to blame. Many former and existing officials should share the blame.
The biggest load of responsibility falls on the shoulders of former Ventspils freeport authority board members – Ventspils City Council Chairman Jānis Vītoliņš and vice-chairman Guntis Blumbergs. Another person who has had a hand in activities covered by sanctions is Imants Sarmulis – the CEO of the Freeport of Ventspils and current head of the municipality’s Ventspils osta company.
These people are the ones who contributed the most to Ventspils Sea Port losing its competitiveness. An entire sector of Latvia’s transit was lost to the altar of Lembergs’ gluttony.
Without at doubt – soon we will learn the names of many of Lembergs’ agents in political parties and state administration.
National lemberg-lovers
Who could have thought that instead of helping reduce the influence of lemergists, the National Alliance would take the side of the communistic entrepreneur, US sanctioned and prison sentenced Lembergs.
As it is known, after municipal elections, realisation of Lembergs’ interests in Ventspils was no longer possible without the passionate support of National Alliance member Kārlis Vočtavs, whose contribution is publicly praised by Kristīne Lemberga. It is unambiguously clear that if not for this act of betrayal, Vītoliņš would have to respect other political parties in Ventspils City Council. Perhaps Ventspils residents would have a more reasonable and efficient city council and the city’s financial resources would not be used to secure the interests of a prison inmate.
There is another National Alliance member who is very passionate about representing Aivars Lembergs’ interests – publicist Imants Liepiņš. It might be a mere coincidence, but it was during Saeima’s final reading of amendments to the Law on Ports Liepiņš decided to publish on www.pietiek.com a piece in which he claims the parliament works on destroying Latvia’s sea ports and in which lembergists is praised and the government is blasted.
There is no way Vočtavs’ and Liepiņš’s activities are allowed with the blessing from National Alliance’s higher-ups. We can only guess what kind of agreement NA people have with Lembergs and how legal they are if ‘defenders of national interests’ have to rush to defend the imprisoned opponent of Latvia, Europe, NATO and the US.
Confrontation instead of lustration
It is confusing how the members of Lembergs’ political party, who are under absolute influence from a man under US sanctions, hope to secure more beneficial conditions for Ventspils under the new sea port management mechanism. How do they intend co-manage and the capital company without putting at risk its existence?
To return Ventspils on the path of development, there have to be revelations, lustration and the political purification process, and Lembergs’ political party is not ready for that.
This means more arrogance and more rhetoric accusing others of their own failures. None of has ever been and ever will be in the interests of Ventspils and its residents.
Opinion | Ventspils residents mixed up in power struggle
