“We cannot understand how we can discuss the green course, bio-fuel and development of this sector if the state that has the biggest bio-diesel fuel production and handling factory in Baltic States is located keeps only exporting all the manufactured products,” says Bio-Venta LLC quality and project manager Kristīne Vimba.
Representatives of the company say that Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs visited Ventspils on the 23rd of May. At the end of his visit, he met with local residents in Latvia concert hall. Bio-Venta representatives attended this event as well. There they mentioned that the government, in the form of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, once again has plans for abolition of mandatory blending of biofuels with fossil fuels.
Vimba turned to the president with an open letter and a request to look at the efforts put in and become involved in the resolution of this situation. Vimba also said she hopes the company will be able to continue is operations with new development projects. According to her, the president promised to read the letter and respond.
“The feeling is that the state doesn’t need out jobs”
Representatives of the company say: “Lately there have been opinions voiced in the media that Latvia’s local energy resources, including bio-fuel, will no longer be necessary because it will be possible to import everything. News like that make local bio-fuel producers worried and creates a general sense of insecurity about the company’s future and preservation of jobs.”
In a short conversation about the letter addressed to the president and the problems listed in it, Kristīne Vimba said she is confused why many EU countries steadily use bio-fuels, whereas Latvia lowers its use. Such actions weaken the competitiveness of certain companies in the countries when compared to producers of fossil and bio-fuels in neighbouring countries.
The government’s potential lack of interest in the use of locally produced bio-fuel makes Bio-Venta workers worry about their future. This raises confusion as to why the Latvian government, unlike Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, cannot take care of its producers, the company’s representatives say.
“This means we put everything in, but our own produced goods are sent out, because we can clearly see that we aren’t really needed by anyone in Latvia. This is why he simply decided – if the president came to visit and we have an opportunity to meet, we want him to hear us as people, as a team that unites 71 families. People who don’t want to travel abroad. People who want to stay and work in Ventspils, Latvia, and who want to feel safe and confident their jobs will still exist in the future.”
“We wanted to express our concerns about jobs”
Vimba admits the idea to send the president a letter appeared spontaneously. “The moment we heard the president would be meeting with Ventspils residents, we decided to put aside our shame and speak out,” says Bio-Venta representative.
“Of course, it was clear that the president would not be able to answer our questions at the spot, so we chose to write an open letter addressed to him. We expect the President of the State to stand up for us, because all decisions are already made in the highest echelons of power. We hope that he supports the introduction of the green course and, consequently, the increase in the use of bio-fuels.”
She continue: “We are a real factory in Latvia, local producers that process locally sources raw materials. Our factory is able to produce fuel. This is why I cannot understand who could benefit from talks about the repeated abolition of mandatory blending of bio-fuels with fossil fuels.”
“Price rise was caused by other factors”
Mandatory blending of bio-fuels with fossil fuels has been in effect in Latvia since 2009. In 2022, it was cancelled based on dubious arguments and then reinstated the same year. Even ministries were forced to admit prices did not go down as a result, so the expectations were for nothing. But now there are once again talks of cancellation of the mandatory blending, the company comments.
Vimba emphasizes that such uncertainty causes stress for manufacturers and employees of companies, so she hopes that the president of Latvia, through his involvement in this issue, could address the concerns and direct the development of things in a positive direction: “I get the feeling the president comes to the people. Perhaps he cannot help everywhere and with everything, but he does try to listen. Standing on the stage of Latvia concert hall, the president said he cannot answer such questions without prior preparation. He did promise, however, to provide a written answer to our letter.”
SIA “Bio-Venta” quality and project manager also adds that many blamed the rise in fuel prices after the geopolitical crisis on bio-fuels. This was also an attempt to justify the abolition of the mandatory blending of bio-fuels. She believes it was a big mistake.