Latvian construction companies establish partnership for cooperation abroad
Several Latvia^apostrofs;s major construction companies - "Latvijas energoceltnieks", "Kalnozols celtnieciba", "Skonto buve", "RBS Skals" and "Re ^amp; Re" - have founded the company "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" (Strategic Partnership of Latvia^apostrofs;s Construction Companies) for cooperation abroad, the company^apostrofs;s chairman of the board Valdis Birkavs told LETA.
Several Latvia's major construction companies - "Latvijas energoceltnieks", "Kalnozols celtnieciba", "Skonto buve", "RBS Skals" and "Re & Re" - have founded the company "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" (Strategic Partnership of Latvia's Construction Companies) for cooperation abroad, the company's chairman of the board Valdis Birkavs told LETA.
The registered share capital of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" is LVL 50,000. Said construction companies each hold a 20 percent interest in the partnership.
The total turnover of the partnership's companies was about LVL 90 million last year.
It is planned that "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" will participate in rebuilding of Iraq, the European Union's tenders and also work in the C.I.S. countries.
Establishing the partnership was prompted specifically by the construction companies' wish to participate in rebuilding Iraq. Latvia's construction companies would also like to work in other countries of the region, Birkavs said.
The new partnership has signed no contract on work in Iraq as yet. "It is like Tower of Babel there now - several thousands companies from a hundred countries want to participate in rebuilding Iraq," Birkavs said.
"Although the U.S. Department of State and the Pentagon have inquired about the consortium, signing contracts will not be an easy task and it will not happen too soon, besides, we also do not want to enter this market unprepared," Birkavs said.
According to Birkavs, the EU is another goal of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" - Latvia's companies will be able to participate in all EU tenders after May 1, 2004. As soon as operations in Iraq are launched, monitoring of EU tenders will start, he said.
The third goal is post-soviet countries, such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc., which Latvian construction companies could enter as partners of major Western construction companies, because the partnership has developed contacts with these countries, Birkavs said.
The construction company BMGS, which initially participated in negotiations on rebuilding Iraq along with other companies, is not among the founders of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba". Nevertheless, it is expected that BMGS will cooperate with the consortium, Birkavs stressed.
Several other construction companies have already said they would like to join the partnership, but this will decided by the current members of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba", Birkavs said.
Kaspars Martinsons LETA
Copyright © LETA
The registered share capital of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" is LVL 50,000. Said construction companies each hold a 20 percent interest in the partnership.
The total turnover of the partnership's companies was about LVL 90 million last year.
It is planned that "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" will participate in rebuilding of Iraq, the European Union's tenders and also work in the C.I.S. countries.
Establishing the partnership was prompted specifically by the construction companies' wish to participate in rebuilding Iraq. Latvia's construction companies would also like to work in other countries of the region, Birkavs said.
The new partnership has signed no contract on work in Iraq as yet. "It is like Tower of Babel there now - several thousands companies from a hundred countries want to participate in rebuilding Iraq," Birkavs said.
"Although the U.S. Department of State and the Pentagon have inquired about the consortium, signing contracts will not be an easy task and it will not happen too soon, besides, we also do not want to enter this market unprepared," Birkavs said.
According to Birkavs, the EU is another goal of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba" - Latvia's companies will be able to participate in all EU tenders after May 1, 2004. As soon as operations in Iraq are launched, monitoring of EU tenders will start, he said.
The third goal is post-soviet countries, such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc., which Latvian construction companies could enter as partners of major Western construction companies, because the partnership has developed contacts with these countries, Birkavs said.
The construction company BMGS, which initially participated in negotiations on rebuilding Iraq along with other companies, is not among the founders of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba". Nevertheless, it is expected that BMGS will cooperate with the consortium, Birkavs stressed.
Several other construction companies have already said they would like to join the partnership, but this will decided by the current members of "Latvijas buvnieku strategiska partneriba", Birkavs said.
Kaspars Martinsons LETA
Copyright © LETA
