Latvian State Revenue Service (VID) has decided to close down economic operations of LLC Klauģu muiža, which is indirectly owned by internationally sanctioned Russian billionaire Petr Aven, according to information from Firmas.lv.
The decision to shut down economic operations was made on the 5th of July. At the same time, VID has also imposed a ban on reorganisation of the company and change of members.
As of the 20th of June
LLC Klauģu muiža’s tax debt before VID was EUR 5 450.22.
In 2020 the company operated with turnover of EUR 323 353 and suffered losses worth EUR 3.629 million. Financial accounts for 2021 and 2022 are unavailable.
LLC Klauģu muiža was registered in 2011. Its base capital is EUR 2 845. The company’s owner is a Cyprus-based Abacus (Cyprus) Limited, and the beneficial owner is Aven.
The company owns LLC Klauģu muiža RE, which is the owner of LLC Ezermaļu mežu īpašumi. Economic operations of these two companies is not halted yet, but they have received multiple restrictions from VID, including on the re-registration and disposal of assets.
Previously it was reported that the European Union listed Aven as one of the oligarchs the closest to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, imposing sanctions against him for providing material and financial support for Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or destabilisation of Ukraine. Aven promised to challenge these accusations in court.
TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported in February 2023 that Aven had bank assets and real estate arrested in Riga, K. Valdemāra Street, where he wanted to put his porcelain and art collection on display. Additionally, Latvian authorities have arrested nearly 60 ha of land in Lazdona, his Klauģu Manor, which has multiple buildings and a helicopter landing platform.
Aven’s owned property is in trouble in other parts of Europe as well.
For example, Italy’s police has frozen his partially owned villa in Sardinia. Property in London has been arrested by local authorities as well.
TV3 programme explained that despite all this, Aven is not banned from entering Latvia, as he has Russian and Latvian citizenship. The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau looked into how exactly he received Latvian citizenship. The case was close, no corruption was found. KNAB did, however, uncover favourable treatment of Aven from the management of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Last year, after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, discussions commenced on whether Aven should be allowed to keep his Latvian citizenship. Last year the Saeima passed amendments on measures to taking away citizenship from dual citizens who have provided various types of support to aggressor countries.
Also read: Latvian National Alliance politician may have close ties with «sanctioned oligarch» Petr Aven