Egils Levits
Valsts prezidenta kanceleja ir pieprasījusi VNĪ skaidrot iepirkumu par mēbelēm Rīgas pilij
Chancery of the President of Latvia (Chancery) has requested government property agency ‘State Real Estate’ (SRE) information regarding five-year old procurement of chairs for the memorial study of Čakste (Čakste’s Office in the Riga Castle), which ended due to wrong dimensions of delivered chairs that were turned down by the Riga Castle, this morning.

In 2015 Chancery of the President of Latvia transferred EUR 9,620.88 to SRE in scope of the procurement of furniture for the Riga Castle. SRE had to order manufacturing of new furniture replicating the former furniture of one of the official rooms. Sketches of old furniture, chairs of the memorial study of Jānis Čakste, were provided. SRE was responsible for acquisition of chairs for the Čakste’s Office for which it had to provide technical requirements, contracting and ensure that contractor delivers the right items. Chancery refused to accept and register Čakste’s Office chairs delivered by SRE in the accounting books because delivered chairs had different dimensions and were not suitable for the room’s official purpose.

Since 2016, Chancery has repeatedly requested SRE to provide chairs that fit the specifications of the Riga Castle. SRE had agreed to rectify the situation at its own cost and Chancery had, therefore, not earmarked any additional funding for this purpose. In 2019 Chancery once again asked the SRE to resolve the matter that has been delayed for too long. SRE promised to deliver chairs at its own cost. Chancery has not earmarked any additional funding for purchase of chairs in its budget.

Considering that SRE is the owner of procurement project, Chancery of the President had no involvement in the process.

In this morning’s conversation with the COB of SRE, Renārs Griškevičš, Andris Teikmanis, Head of the Chancery of Chancer of the President of Latvia, requested agency’s head to explain the current situation and reasons why the price of chairs has increased so sharply.