During the term of the now ex-Mayor of Riga Mārtiņš Staķis Riga City Council spent approximately EUR 1.3 million on various information campaigns and public information, according to information provided by the municipal administration and compiled by LETA.
Riga City Council Brand and Communications Office reports that in 2021 a total of 44 contacts worth more than EUR 300 000 (VAT included) were signed.
Contract prices in most cases did not exceed EUR 10 000.
Financially the biggest contract was signed with LLC Pilsētas līnijas for various vaccination-related communication.
This contract cost the municipality nearly EUR 39 000 (VAT included).
A contract worth EUR 20 000 was signed with JSC TV Latvija to produce a series of programmes on TV24 about various news and developments in Riga municipality. In the end it cost the municipality more than EUR 25 000 (VAT included).
Another contract worth EUR 20 000 was signed with JSC Radio SWH to keep residents informed of various road traffic restrictions. A contract worth nearly EUR 19 000 was signed with this company to acquire broadcast time to report on developments in Riga on Radio SWH and Radio SWH+.
Last year 41 contracts worth more than EUR 500 000 (VAT included) were signed by Riga City Council.
The biggest contract was signed with LLC Nord Media Group for 18th of November and Christmas campaigns. It cost Riga City Council more than EUR 60 000 (VAT included).
Another amount close to EUR 24 000 (VAT included) was spent on a contract with LLC fon Films on a video project “Riga’s summer”. More than EUR 48 000 was spent on the advertisement campaign and publication of content on various media.
As of June 2023 a total of 20 contracts worth at total of EUR 375 000 have been signed so far.
Of the contracts signed this year so far, the biggest amount was paid for services provided by LLC Trendmark, which provided advertisement campaigns Rīgas drosmes un prieka vasara 2023 and publication of campaign-related content in various media.
This contract will cost the municipality EUR 105 426 (VAT included).
In the two and a half years Riga City Council signed contracts for various information campaigns.
As LETA was informed by the Brands and Communications Office, this institution is responsible for all forms of communication functions. Most of the procurements organised by the office are done in accordance with regulations. Price comparisons, procurements and tenders are organised if need be.
On the 4rd of July then the Mayor of Riga Mārtiņš Staķis announced his decision to step down. The main reason why he made this decision was his inability to continue taking responsibility for Riga City Council’s decisions.
This decision was followed up by mutual conflicts and discord among coalition partners – Par/Progressive and New Unity.
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