Opinion piece
“The Ministry of Transport has become one of the most problematic institutions, directly impacting Latvia’s economic development. If Prime Minister Evika Siliņa genuinely wants to improve the efficiency of public administration, merely changing a few ministers will not be enough. A thorough evaluation of high-ranking ministry officials is also necessary. Minister of Transport Kaspars Briškens’ lack of understanding of the sector’s specifics has brought Ventspils Port to the brink of ruin, while the actions of Ministry of Transport official Inguna Strautmane, who serves on the Board of Ventspils Freeport Authority (VBP), have had catastrophic consequences for businesses”, BNN was told by entrepreneurs.
Inguna Strautmane, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport, is responsible for legal and administrative matters within the ministry, as well as communication and rail transport sectors. However, there is no mention of ports in her official duties. Despite this, she continues to serve on the VBP Board, even though her term officially ended on the 1st of February, 2024.
“There is a pressing need to assess the productivity of state officials who hold multiple high-responsibility positions and receive significant taxpayer-funded salaries,” entrepreneurs emphasise. They argue that in addition to evaluating ministers’ performance in the government restart, the prevention of inefficient state spending should also be a priority. For example, according to her official income declaration, Inguna Strautmane earned EUR 43 072 at the Ministry of Transport in 2023. She also received an additional EUR 44 362 from the Ventspils Freeport Authority. Despite being responsible for determining the monthly salaries of port board members, the Cabinet of Ministers has not deemed it necessary to review the extent of such financial benefits across various ministries.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs question why a politically appointed overseer has once again been placed in charge of VBP’s board, despite harming business growth and development rather than supporting it.
One example is the Baltic Sea region’s most modern and environmentally friendly coal transshipment terminal, Baltic Coal Terminal, which was forced into legal protection proceedings. Since its construction, more than EUR 80 million has been invested in the terminal, and there were plans for expansion. However, due to debt collection measures initiated by the VBP Board and its Chairperson, Inguna Strautmane, along with what investors view as excessive and unjustified financial demands, investors have been driven away from Ventspils Port.
Entrepreneurs believe that the unfriendly business environment in Ventspils Freeport is one of the key reasons for the dramatic decline in cargo turnover. Since Inguna Strautmane assumed the role of chairperson of the VBP board in 2019, cargo turnover in Ventspils Port has plummeted by 10.1 million tonnes – from 20.5 million tons in 2019 to just 10.4 million tons in 2024. While part of this decline can be attributed to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, business leaders argue that the lack of initiative from the Freeport Board in seeking new business opportunities and restructuring operations has also played a significant role in stagnation.
It is time for Prime Minister Evika Siliņa to take decisive and uncompromising action. Both the public and industry experts demand not just words, but real measures to prevent stagnation and inefficient governance. The government restart must not be a mere political façade—it must be transformed into a tangible development course, rooted in long-term strategy and clear, effective action.