Suspicion of document forgery in "Sun Stone" matter
Documents, which could possibly indicate forgery of documents in the matter of the construction of the "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone) business complex, are now at the disposal of Prime Minister Einars Repse.
Documents, which could possibly indicate forgery of documents in the matter of the construction of the "Saules akmens" (Sun Stone) business complex, are now at the disposal of Prime Minister Einars Repse.
In an interview on Latvian State Radio, Repse said that the documents "are of identical content, registration numbers and dates" but they differ so that issuing of construction permit would be eased and legitimized.
Saeima deputy Ausma Kantane submitted the copies to Repse today, and in her view the documents should be reviewed by the prosecutor's office. Repse confirmed that the copies would be submitted to the Prosecutor's General Office.
The premier pointed out that forgery of documents is a "serious fact" and Riga City Council head Gundars Bojars is responsible for that.
Repse told his party New Era (JL) has not yet decided about future operations concerning the construction of "Sun Stone" and responsibility of Riga City Council in the case. The premier expects active action of Bojars in preventing illegalities in construction of the complex, otherwise the issue of Bojars dismissal would be reviewed.
Repse said that Bojars had insufficiently controlled the operations of institutions under his authority and observing legal norms.
The newspaper "Diena" reports today that design planning and architectural regulations for the "Sun Stone" project have been issued in two versions but with the same register number. The initial regulations issued by the Riga City Council's architecture department, stipulate that the project must be coordinated with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection while the regulations drawn up six months later have no such requirements.
Uldis Pastnieks, the former head of the Riga City Council's City Development Department and the head of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection, Juris Dambis, believe that such a practice is on the edge of document forgery and the administration of the City Development Department must assume responsibility for this. Dambis also said that the prosecutor's office would be informed about this.
The newspaper informs that one of the two documents, which have identical register numbers but different dates, was drawn up in February and another in July.
Both documents were coordinated with acting chief architect Viesturs Briedis, former Riga's Cultural Monument Protection Inspection chief Viesturs Bruzis and regional chief architect Arta Ozola.
Bruzis confirmed to LETA that he had not signed any of the documents by showing his passport to the newspaper. In case the chief is absent, the documents could be signed the deputy chief, in this case Andis Cinis.
Asked on how two planning and architectural regulations could be worked out for one project, Bruzis admitted that one of the documents "is false".
Cinis refused to comment on the regulations.
Vilnis Strams, the head of the Riga City Council's City Development Department, however admitted that both documents are genuine, but some alterations were introduced in the second document. Asked why the requirement to coordinate the project with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection was ignored, Strams informed that a petition had been submitted by the investors stating that no coordination was needed because conservation zones were not binding for the construction area.
The constructor of the complex, "Merks Ltd." confirmed that the petition indeed was handed in with a request to change regulations.
Pastnieks conceded that the purpose would be inconspicuously replace the old regulations with new ones and "in this case it is a serious case verging on forgery of documents."
At the time when the projects were coordinated, the co-owners of "Kipsalas saules akmens Ltd." were businessman Viesturs Koziols and politician Ainars Slesers, who sold their shares in November 2002.
Dace Karklina LETA
Copyright © LETA
In an interview on Latvian State Radio, Repse said that the documents "are of identical content, registration numbers and dates" but they differ so that issuing of construction permit would be eased and legitimized.
Saeima deputy Ausma Kantane submitted the copies to Repse today, and in her view the documents should be reviewed by the prosecutor's office. Repse confirmed that the copies would be submitted to the Prosecutor's General Office.
The premier pointed out that forgery of documents is a "serious fact" and Riga City Council head Gundars Bojars is responsible for that.
Repse told his party New Era (JL) has not yet decided about future operations concerning the construction of "Sun Stone" and responsibility of Riga City Council in the case. The premier expects active action of Bojars in preventing illegalities in construction of the complex, otherwise the issue of Bojars dismissal would be reviewed.
Repse said that Bojars had insufficiently controlled the operations of institutions under his authority and observing legal norms.
The newspaper "Diena" reports today that design planning and architectural regulations for the "Sun Stone" project have been issued in two versions but with the same register number. The initial regulations issued by the Riga City Council's architecture department, stipulate that the project must be coordinated with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection while the regulations drawn up six months later have no such requirements.
Uldis Pastnieks, the former head of the Riga City Council's City Development Department and the head of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection, Juris Dambis, believe that such a practice is on the edge of document forgery and the administration of the City Development Department must assume responsibility for this. Dambis also said that the prosecutor's office would be informed about this.
The newspaper informs that one of the two documents, which have identical register numbers but different dates, was drawn up in February and another in July.
Both documents were coordinated with acting chief architect Viesturs Briedis, former Riga's Cultural Monument Protection Inspection chief Viesturs Bruzis and regional chief architect Arta Ozola.
Bruzis confirmed to LETA that he had not signed any of the documents by showing his passport to the newspaper. In case the chief is absent, the documents could be signed the deputy chief, in this case Andis Cinis.
Asked on how two planning and architectural regulations could be worked out for one project, Bruzis admitted that one of the documents "is false".
Cinis refused to comment on the regulations.
Vilnis Strams, the head of the Riga City Council's City Development Department, however admitted that both documents are genuine, but some alterations were introduced in the second document. Asked why the requirement to coordinate the project with the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection was ignored, Strams informed that a petition had been submitted by the investors stating that no coordination was needed because conservation zones were not binding for the construction area.
The constructor of the complex, "Merks Ltd." confirmed that the petition indeed was handed in with a request to change regulations.
Pastnieks conceded that the purpose would be inconspicuously replace the old regulations with new ones and "in this case it is a serious case verging on forgery of documents."
At the time when the projects were coordinated, the co-owners of "Kipsalas saules akmens Ltd." were businessman Viesturs Koziols and politician Ainars Slesers, who sold their shares in November 2002.
Dace Karklina LETA
Copyright © LETA
