Releases detainees in the case of Jekabpils dam; Against all criminal proceedings / day
None of these persons are currently defined by security measures.
Among the detainees was the Mayor of Jekabpils County Raivis Ragainis (LZP). He told LETA after his release that he was the person involved, but he had no indictments or any denials.
Aigars Nitišs (LZP), a deputy of Jekabpils City Council, was also detained, his advocate, lawyer Juris Močulskis confirmed to LETA. He refrained from making more comments.
Latvian Television reported that Nitish is leading one of the subcontractors involved in the reconstruction of the dam « Ošukalns » Ltd. LETA told the company that Nitish had provided the authority with all the necessary information and that he has returned to Jekabpils at the moment without any restrictions to continue working.
It is not yet known who the other detainees are, but LETA failed to call Dam’s reconstruction on Thursday, Chairman of the Board of SIA « Jekabpils PMK » and co -owner, Jekabpils City Council deputy Maris Diamond (Jekabpils Regional Party), as well as board member and co -owner Arnis Putnina. Representatives of « Jekabpils PMK » refused to comment on LETA.
Latvian Television reported that the project is supervised by the deputy of the Municipality, Karlis Stars (NA), a deputy of the council. LETA also failed to call LETA on Thursday.
LETA has already announced that persons were detained on Thursday by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB). This was done on behalf of the European Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). The KNAB also made a search.
The KNAB confirmed to LETA that it was carried out on Thursday in criminal proceedings in Jekabpils and explained that they were in criminal proceedings, which EPPO started on March 3 this year and handed over to the KNAB as a competent authority for a pre -trial investigation.
The EPPO’s announcement press was emphasized that Ragain, other state officials and private companies were detained in connection with an investigation into the construction of EUR 16.9 million co -financed by the European Union.
According to the EPPO, the investigation found that municipal officials, possibly in cooperation with private companies, implemented illegal activities in carrying out a public procurement procedure for the construction of infrastructure for flooding in Jekabpils.
The EPPO reported that the Mayor of Jekabpils County, vice mayor and council members, as well as representatives of private companies are involved.
The project included the reconstruction of the embankments on both banks of the Daugava and the construction of flood infrastructure after the massive floods of 2023, which seriously damaged the existing protective structure.
A project with a value of more than EUR 16.9 million was co -financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), while the remaining 15% were the state budget money.
EPPO believes that public officials have been manipulated by public procurement, to put their pre -selected pre -selected construction companies in a public procurement procedure.
EPPO also suspects that other rules, including building codes and technological requirements, have been violated. Based on the evidence, low quality building materials may have been used and building materials are too expensive.
In January 2023, the Daugava near Jekabpils collected and the floods began. The city protective dam was suffered in floods, which was rinsed in some places and had to be repaired urgently.
In the autumn of 2023, Jekabpils Municipality signed an agreement worth approximately EUR 17 million with « Jekabpils PMK » for rebuilding the Daugava defensive dam.
At the end of 2023, as the government was reviewing a report on anti -flood measures in Jekabpils, it was reported that in the reconstruction of the Daugava Dam in Jekabpils in 2023, not all initially planned works were done.
It was planned to carry out the reconstruction of the right and left shore protection sewerage output and the construction of a flood threat system, the securing the left bank protection dam with the stone of the bar at less than two kilometers. There was also a planned reinforcement of the hydrobetone slope with filtration reduction in the protective dam for the body and the hydrobetone support wall construction at the foot of the dam at a 700 -meter -long stage.
Taking into account that, for various reasons, it was not possible to start construction in July 2023, as was originally planned, not all planned measures were implemented.
The municipality said on Thursday that after the winter technological break, it is planned to resume the reconstruction of the Daugava left bank defense dam. The works of the construction contracts are expected to be completed in October.
According to Firmas.lv information, « Jekabpils PMK » is owned by Arnis Putnins (50%), Diana Skačko (25%) and Maris Dimant (25%). In 2023, the company had a turnover of EUR 24.23 million and a profit of approximately EUR 92,550, employing about 230 employees. Financial data for 2024 is not yet available.
