Energy, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Oil, Transport

Rudolf Meroni.

The decision to seize property was made on August 20 by Riga Regional Court Judge Juris Freimanis after review of a complaint filed by Ventbunkers shareholders, reports LETA.

Gobins believes that to be a "total legal bubble, blown up for the sole reason that the pupil of Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs, the new oligarch – Olafs Berkis, and his companions, could move against the legitimate Ventbunkers board and council."

Besides Berkis and his company, the plaintiffs include Genadijs Sevcovs representing joint-stock "Investment Activity" and Aleksejs Ovods representing Topmar Baltic Investments of the United States. They are scheming to claim millions of lats and euros from the legitimate Ventbunkers board and council members, explains Meroni.

According to Gobins, all necessary countermeasures will be taken.

Meroni will turn to Justice Minister Janis Bordans and Supreme Court Chairman Ivars Bickovics, asking them to open a disciplinary case against the judge. Turning to the Corruption Prevention Bureau is also being considered.

Meroni insists that management of the company was illegitimately usurped by criminals representing Berkis and his team, who used fraudulent and deceitful methods to achieve this.

At the beginning of 2012, Berkis' management team took control over Ventbunkers. Before that, in 2010 and 2011, Ventbunkers was run by Meroni camp representatives. Both sides accuse each other of fraud and squandering the company's funds.

Ventbunkers was established in 1994, the company deals with oil product handling at the Freeport of Ventspils.