Corruption, Estonia, Latvia, Legislation, Railways, Transport

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 12:10

Kalnmeiers confirms Estonian millionaire Ossinovski features as suspect in Latvijas Dzelzcels bribery case

BC, Riga, 07.01.2016.Print version
Oleg Ossinovski, one of the wealthiest men in Estonia, is an official suspect in a criminal case in which former Latvijas Dzelzcels (Latvian Railways) CEO Ugis Magonis is being probed for receiving a EUR 500,000 bribe, Latvian Prosecutor General Eriks Kalnmeiers confirmed in an interview with "900 sekundes" (900 Seconds), the morning news program of LNT commercial TV channel, reported LETA.

Kalnmeiers also said that "certain restrictions" have been imposed on the Estonian millionaire.


The investigation of the bribery case is close to completion, the prosecutor general said, adding that the case might be forwarded to the prosecutor's office in late January or early February.


All the necessary forensic tests have been completed already, but not all witnesses have provided their testimonies. Some of them have said they would only testify at the prosecutor's office, Kalnmeiers said without revealing any names.


According to earlier media reports, the Latvian law enforcement authorities have established that Ossinovski agreed to pay Magonis EUR 500,000 for a contract allowing his company to sell Latvijas Dzelzcels four diesel locomotives for EUR 8 mln.


Estonian newspaper ''Eesti Paevaleht'' reported last month that Magonis initially asked Ossinovski for EUR 800,000, yet the Estonian businessman disagreed and started bargaining, eventually reducing the bribe.


The Latvian Corruption Prevention Bureau (CPB) suspects Magonis of accepting a bribe of EUR 500,000 so that Latvijas Dzelzcels subsidiary LDz ritosa sastava serviss would purchase four old locomotives for several million euros from Ossinovski's company Skinest. Ossinovski denies any corrupt practices in the sale of the locomotives.


Magonis was fired as Latvijas Dzelzcels head on August 7.






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