Cultural Monument Protection Inspection's chief Dambis considering resignation
Arrest of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection^apostrofs;s deputy head, architect Janis Lejnieks, could be "the last straw" for the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection^apostrofs;s chief Juris Dambis - he may decide to resign, which he has already been considering for some time, Dambis told the newspaper "Diena".
Arrest of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection's deputy head, architect Janis Lejnieks, could be "the last straw" for the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection's chief Juris Dambis - he may decide to resign, which he has already been considering for some time, Dambis told the newspaper "Diena".
"It is a severe blow to the whole inspection, its reputation has been damaged badly," Dambis said. He suspects that the bribery affair might be a provocation, the goal being discrediting the Cultural Monument Protection Inspection. The inspection is perhaps the only institution that has been opposing a number of projects, and many people would like to silence it.
Lejnieks, for instance, has objected to reconstruction of the "Centrs" department store by "Linstow Varner". Since the scandal over the construction of the business center "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone), Dambis has been regularly encountering indirect pressure from high-ranking officials. "I am not sure if I have this thick skin. I am not sure if I want to continue," Dambis said, confirming that by this he meant resignation. Before that, though, he will consult with the chairman of the Architects Union and colleagues, the newspaper writes.
The inspection's specialist Simona Cevere told "Diena" that, besides reconstruction of the department store "Centrs", the inspection would have to review a few more controversial projects in the near future, for instance, pulling down a wooden house at 39 Elizabetes Street where an office building could be raised, construction of an oil terminal in the vicinity of Kometforts, reconstruction of the Central and Vidzeme markets in Riga, and others.
On the average, the inspection reviews about 40 projects a week, "Diena" reports.
As reported, Lejnieks' bribery affair might be linked with reconstruction of a building at 71 Valdemara Street in Riga. The Corruption Prevention Bureau has not yet confirmed this.
"It is a severe blow to the whole inspection, its reputation has been damaged badly," Dambis said. He suspects that the bribery affair might be a provocation, the goal being discrediting the Cultural Monument Protection Inspection. The inspection is perhaps the only institution that has been opposing a number of projects, and many people would like to silence it.
Lejnieks, for instance, has objected to reconstruction of the "Centrs" department store by "Linstow Varner". Since the scandal over the construction of the business center "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone), Dambis has been regularly encountering indirect pressure from high-ranking officials. "I am not sure if I have this thick skin. I am not sure if I want to continue," Dambis said, confirming that by this he meant resignation. Before that, though, he will consult with the chairman of the Architects Union and colleagues, the newspaper writes.
The inspection's specialist Simona Cevere told "Diena" that, besides reconstruction of the department store "Centrs", the inspection would have to review a few more controversial projects in the near future, for instance, pulling down a wooden house at 39 Elizabetes Street where an office building could be raised, construction of an oil terminal in the vicinity of Kometforts, reconstruction of the Central and Vidzeme markets in Riga, and others.
On the average, the inspection reviews about 40 projects a week, "Diena" reports.
As reported, Lejnieks' bribery affair might be linked with reconstruction of a building at 71 Valdemara Street in Riga. The Corruption Prevention Bureau has not yet confirmed this.
