Ditton blasts media inaccuracy

Aug 25, 2008
By Mike Collier

RIGA - The management board of JSC Ditton, the Daugavpils-based maker of driving chains, has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement that is sharply critical of what it says is inaccurate reporting of its affairs.

On August 25th, the company said reports published by news agency LETA and the newspaper Dienas Bizness dating from October 2007 which suggested it was suspected of tax evasion contained "substantial false information about the company" which may have affected investor confidence.

Similar stories also appeared on news portals Delfi and TVNET/FinanceNet which routinely trawl the internet for original stories from other media outlets and then use them as their own content.

The JSC Ditton statement cites information from the Financial Police Department of the State Revenue Service confirming that a criminal investigation it had opened on September 4th 2007 was terminated on July 30th 2008.

"It is evident... that information of the news agency LETA from 23.10.2007, disclosed by other mass media, that 'JSC Ditton has been suspected in tax evasion'... is untrue, but authors of this information are interpreting the facts in a prejudiced and false manner.

"Mentioning of individual persons, including employees of JSC “Ditton pievadķēžu rūpnīca” against which there never has been the criminal prosecution initiated, is absolutely groundless.

"Unfortunately, LETA did not retract its information and did not ensure publicity of our objections and position," the JSC Ditton statement continued, before warning that it cannot be held responsible for the actions of investors influenced by inaccurate information.



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