Crooks in Lembergs`s shoes

Aivars Lembergs is one of Latvia’s most popular politicians – during the past decade he has consistently ranked among the top three. His popularity is intertwined with his leadership of the port city of Ventspils for nearly the past 30 years. Although born in the southern town of Jekabpils, it was in Ventspils that Lembergs made his career after completing an economics degree at the University of Latvia in 1977. The head of the city council since since 1989, Lembergs was involved in Latvia’s drive to regain its independence and was among the lawmakers who voted for breaking away from Moscow. Since 1994 he has been the head of the Latvia and Ventspils party, which is associated with the current coalition of parties running the nation’s government. Under the leadership of Aivars Lembergs the city of Ventspils has capitalised on its ice-free port to become a major transit hub in the region. The transit business has driven the city’s economic development and helped it attain one of the lowest unemployment rates in Latvia. The strong local economy has allowed for the rebuilding of roads and buildings plus investment in social services that makes Ventspils the envy of Latvia. Lembergs has contributed to the development of Ventspils not only as its mayor, but as president of its development agency, executive director of its business development association and the head of Latvia’s port association. Another aspect of the enduring popularity of Aivars Lembergs has been his pragmatic approach to the integration of Latvia’s Russian-speaking population. Language and citizenship have been sensitive issues in Latvia’s early years, but the integration process has succeeded better in Ventspils than elsewhere in the country. Aivars Lembergs is also a tireless supporter of Latvia’s athletes, having long served on the nation’s Olympic Committee. He is also the president of the Ventspils basketball club. Aivars Lembergs was awarded in 2000 the Three Star Order (third class) – the first civilian order created in Latvia after it gained independence in 1918. He has also been awarded the Commemorative Medal for Participants of the Barricades of 1991 for those who took part in defending Latvia against forces loyal to the Soviet Union during confrontations in 1991. This book, by exploring what has happened to the assets frozen as part of the prosecution of Aivars Lembergs, gives readers a means to understand the hydra of criminal investigations and cases against one of Latvia’s best-known businessmen and politicians. After seventeen years of investigations and eight years in the courtroom there has still been no conviction against the Ventspils mayor who has been a key promoter of the city and its transit businesses. This book should be read by everyone interested in how the legal system can be used and abused for political and private interests in order to eliminate a rival. In some ways it can serve as a history of Latvia since it regained independence as the investigations into Lembergs began shortly thereafter and continue to this day. This book, based upon one of the court motions Lembergs filed to defend his rights, isn’t a justification or a whitewash. It is a compilation of facts. Disturbing facts. Inconvenient facts. Facts which make one wonder what is the real motive behind the criminal case against Lembergs