EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Railways, Transport

Previous board member Edmunds Kancevics, Martins Jirgens and Janis Petersons all handed in their resignations to Transport Minister Aivis Ronis, and Ronis accepted all the resignations, writes LETA.

The three board members were replaced by Anrijs Brencens, Silvija Dreimane and Aigars Stokenbergs.

Brencens previously worked as CEO and council chairman at VRC Zasulauks. He has a master's degree in economics from the BA School of Business and Finance and is currently the head of the Riga City Council's Development Department bureau. Brencens is associated with All For Latvia!-For Fatherland And Freedom/LNNK.

Dreimane has been working in various jobs at Latvijas dzelzcels railroad company since 2003, she is currently advisor to Latvijas dzelzcels President Ugis Magonis. Dreimane has a degree in law from the University of Latvia. Dreimane participated in the 2010 elections as a candidate representing the Union of Greens and Farmers.

Stokenbergs has worked as the justice minister, minister of regional development and environmental protection, and economy minister, representing first the People's Party and later the political association Unity.

Ronis' representative Aivis Freidenfelds said that the new board members were selected based on their professional competences, without taking into consideration their political party membership.

Two of the new board members have worked in the railroad industry, whereas Stokenbergs has successfully worked in the government, added Freidenfelds.

As reported, at the end of last week, then Pasazieru vilciens CEO Nils Freivalds stepped down and was replaced by Artis Birkmanis.

As reported, the European Commission has warned Latvia that if implementation of the train supply agreement signed by Pasazieru vilciens and Spain's Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A. continues, Latvia may have to itself pay the LVL 100 million that were to be provided from the European Union's Cohesion Fund as co-financing for the project, according to a letter that the European Commission has sent to the Latvian Finance Ministry. The management of Pasazieru vilciens plans to visit Brussels this week to discuss the contract with the Commission's officials.